Reconstructing & Revitalising Lúnasa
Authentic Irish Folk Practices Series
Lúnasa Timing
Monthly Lúnasa (whole month of August is called mí Lúnasa: Lá Lúnasa)
Cultural Lúnasa (Three day fire festival: July 31st, August 1st-2nd)
Lá Saoire i mí Lúnasa/The August Bank Holiday (first Monday in Aug— this year is Aug 7th!)
Astronomical Lúnasa (midway between Summer Solstice & Fall Equinox — this year is Aug 7th at 7:21 pm Dublin Time or 2:21pm EST!)
Julian Lúnasa (around Aug12th, which cooinsides with Ireland’s 2023 Heritage Week Aug 12–20th!)
The Pleiades during Lúnasa (starting to rise on the NE horizon around 12:14am EST in Cambridge, MA and will be completely above the horizon by 12:26am on July 31st. They should set on the NW horizon around 3:14pm EST in Cambridge, MA and be fully set by 3:38pm EST.)
Much like how we did for Imbolg, and Bealtaine; we must ask, in order to reconstruct Lúnasa, what happened bio-environmentally in Ireland’s past around this time of year? what is happening bio-environmentally now? and how do these factors effect diverse Irish culture (including subcultures) and The Good Neighbors? Lá Fhéile Lúnasa shona daoibh!
In the words of Morgan Daimler: “something remains to be said about Lughnasa. It had another name, Brón Trogain, perhaps an older name, to judge from a phrase used twice in Acallamh na Senórach, ‘laithe mís trogain risa ráidhter in lughnasadh’ (the first day of the month of trogan now called lughnasadh). A verse attributed to Fionn speaks of a feast made for him every year on the day of Brón Trogain. In Tochmarc Emire the quarterly festivals are named and in a passage explaining the names it is said that Brón Trogain, the beginning of harvest, means that the earth sorrows under its fruits. It is a metaphor based on the travail of birth.” — Festival of Lughnasa, MacNeil, page 10.
Lúnasa Weather & Plants (Ireland is getting Warmer & Wetter)
In Cattle Lords and Clansmen, on page 64: “Irish tradition itself associates strong rain-storms and flooding with Lugnasad, the festival which opened the harvest season in early August (M. Macneill 1982: 61–2)”. Nowadays, Irish weather in August can be very good (average highs of 18°C/64°F and lows of 11°C/52°F) and there’s a busy festival calendar, according to Keith O’Hara.
According to MET Eireann, Ireland’s Meteorological Service, last year (August 2022) was dry, sunny and very warm, with heatwaves and record temperatures reported.
You can read the 2022 August Report here: https://www.met.ie/climate-statement-for-august-2022 and the full 2022 Summer Report (June, July, and August)here: https://www.met.ie/climate-statement-for-august-2022
Like anywhere, what happens in one area of Ireland on July 31st-August is going to depend on where you are. However, something of note to talk about is the impact of climate change. Met Éireann published Ireland’s new Climate Averages for 1991–2020 just the other day on July 18th 2023, and Ireland is getting hotter and wetter: https://www.met.ie/met-eireann-publishes-irelands-new-climate-averages-for-1991-2020.
Irish Native Foods, Plants & Medicines
After Hungry July, or “the bitter six weeks” where the last of the last of your food stores would be eaten, and many poor who were not cattle-keeping, dairy armers, or livestock breeders were mostly hurting for food (Danaher, p. 163) the first-fruits are harvested.
The Irish first harvest consists of many habitats, wildflowers, fruits, vegetables, and more! “Lughnasa celebrates, at its core, the beginning of the harvest and the new abundance of food being gathered; because of this it is strongly associated with the cooking of specific foods that represent the harvest that were reaped the day of, customarily this would be “bread or porridge before evening”, often with fresh seasonal fruit being incorporated along with “cabbage, fish, fowl, bacon or fresh beef or mutton” (Danaher, p. 167). There is also mention of cows being milked in the morning and the milk used in the feast, as well as a special type of bread being made from harvested grain and cooked with rowan or another sacred wood before being handed out by the head of the household to the family who eats it and then walks sunwise around the cooking fire, chanting a blessing prayer (MacNeill 1959)” (Daimler, Where the Hawthorn Grows, pp 125–126). One should not however, conflate Lúnasa with Lammas (Loaf-mass), just because it often incorporates breads.
The point I try to remember myself is that Lúnasa is more about fruits, sports, summit pilgrimages, reaping, and eating/making fraughan cakes (sometimes pronounced ‘frocken’ with recipe link below) rather than bread-making persay. Lammas is Old English and Christian festival… not Irish; and a very basic understanding of England’s (and the Church’s) continued colonisation of Ireland as a whole should give us pause in conflating the two. For Lúnasa you thank Lugh/Tailtiu/Macha/The Lands Spirits/The Good Neighbors for a good first harvest (and give Themselves Their due portion) along with the Christian God perhaps, while for Lammas you simply thank the Christian god and bless the bread in his name — the bread then becomes the eucharist. There is a Scottish folk practice to make Quarter Cakes for each Fire Festival, and the one for Lúnasa is called ‘Bonnach Lunastai’ according to Trinity Communications.
Just as I have said before, universalising all the “c/ltic”-speaking cultures into one thing is a terrible generalisation and is a form of cultural imperialism that goes back as far as Caesar. The last I will say on this matter is offering an example: Christmas. Now, thanks to colonialism, globalisation and capitalism; Christmas is a global holiday… but I must ask you, does Christmas look the same everywhere? Absolutely not. Every culture has their own take on it, each have their own practices, observances, foods, and decorations. Do you see that by universalising, we would reduce Christmas down to a very single generic standard, and whose standard? The most powerful and violent one usually. By standardising diversity is sterilised and erased, and all those other beautiful practices, observances, foods, and decorations fall out of fashion and die if they are not preserved or adapted. That is why lumping, universalising, and generalising is so very dangerous to cultures everywhere, and these diverse cultures deserve respect and proper representation within their own beautiful changing cultural contexts. This is why Lúnasa is not Lammas. #EndRant
In Ireland, “cereals are harvested from mid-July to mid-September with the majority completed in August”. You can find out more about Ireland’s horticulture and beyond at https://www.teagasc.ie/ I also recommend looking up the proper Irish words for harvested crops (as Gaeilge) on focloir.ie.
Of note, and according to Scoil Bhean Feasa via duchas (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0125 pp. 425–429, Volume 0641 pp. 144–145, ):
“Irish names for the full moon in the month of August just after Lughnasadh in Ireland are Gealach na gCoinleach (the stubble-field moon) or Gealach Na gCoinlíní (the cut cornstalks moon).
According to Dúchas, Bíonn gealach na gcoinnleach ann le linn don bhfogmar a bheith ag baint (There is a stubble field moon during the time of the harvest season). The harvest moon was said to be in August as people used to harvest by hand with scythes and sickles. They would prefer to work at night away from the heat of the sun and under the light of the full moon, as it gave off more light than any other time.
People also believed the harvest moon ripened the potatoes and grains. They would wait until the moon was full in August to dig up their potatoes as well as cut grains. If the full moon was late in August, people worried about the lammas floods around August 15th. In Irish, dearglach is the word for the red glowing evening sky before the Autumn gealach (moon) rises. Irish farmers watched for Dearglach as it is seen as a sign of good weather before the harvest moon.
Fishing was also done under the waxing and full moon but not under the waning moon as it was said you will not catch anything. In some areas, the harvest full moon was known as the Sturgeon Moon (Gealach Na Bradáin Fearna).
However, we must remember that the “Sturgeon Moon” is a borrowing from the Indigenous Algonquin/Anishnabek Nation and others. Most First Nations peoples have their own set of full Moon names, and those names reflect each tribe’s customs and regional climate and ecology. This practice has become especially common in North America, where it was popularised in the 20th century by the Maine Farmers’ Almanac, which started printing such lists from the 1930s.
More recently, the source for many such lists is the Farmers’ Almanac, which began producing such lists in the 1950s. Another early example of such a list was printed by Daniel Carter Beard in a Scout manual in 1918.
Ireland’s Hidden Medicine by Irish Herbalist Rosarie Kingston
One of my favourite new books in my #LittleIrishPaganLibrary is Rosarie’s informative text published in 2021.
In chapter 4: Utilising Irish indigenous medicine today” pp. 87–127, we get a look into “the Irish calendar year based on the cyclical nature of agriculture, which creates an awareness of the cycle of food production on whic we are all dependent” (p.89) and see what ways we can work with in relationship with “Irish vernacular medicine” during the Fall. From page 107–117, we can read about Lúnasa, Reek Sunday, the Co. Kerry’s Puck Fair, some activities for a holistic Irish lifestyle, and an in-depth look into the “valuable food and plants in autumn” (p. 110–117).
The four most important for domestic medicine that Kingston says are: Yarrow (Lus na fola/Athair thalún), Elderberry (Caor throim/Ceireachán), Marigold (Ór Mhuire/Lus buí Afracach/Lus buí Francach/Lus buí Albanach), and Marshmallow (Leamhach).
Lúnasa Wildlife Watch
According to Ireland’s Wildlife Calendar: “Minke whales — the smallest of our baleen whale species — are the main whale species to look out for in summer, with a slim chance of spotting early fin whales blowing far off-shore from the east or south coasts later in the season (typically from mid- to late-August, although they are sometimes seen as early as mid July).
“Look out for eagles, foxes, hedgehogs, badgers and stouts while hiking or cycling with us…The oceans surrounding Ireland are home to whales, dolphins and sharks as well as seals and a wealth of seabirds” — so says Vagabond Tours of Ireland.
The Good Neighbors & Otherworld Beings Stories to read & share during Lúnasa
- Tochmarc Emire la Coinculaind (“Wooing of Emer”): “…brón trogein .i. lugnusad .i. taide fogamuir .i. is and dobroine trogain .i. talom fo toirtip. Trogan didiu ainm do talum” – Tochmarc Emire la Coinculaind, page 246. “Brón Trogain, that is, Lúnasa, the beginning of autumn, it is then the earth is sorrowing, that is, earth under fruit. Trogan is another name for earth.”
- Lebor Gabala Erenn (“Book of Invasions”): Lúnasa is when the Fir Bolg invaded Ireland (MacNeil 1962, Daimler 2013: Where The Hawthorn Grows p. 125).
- Cath Dédenach Maige Tuired (“The Last/Second Battle of Mag Tuired”): Lugh, arrives at Nuada’s court, and, after impressing the king with his many talents, is given command of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Nuada is killed by Balor in the battle, but Lugh, Balor’s grandson, kills the Fomorian leader with his sling, smashing his deadly eye through the back of his head where it wreaks havoc on the Fomorian ranks. Bres is found alive in the aftermath of the battle, and is spared on the condition that he teach the Tuatha Dé Danann how to plough, sow and reap. Finally, Lugh, the Dagda and Ogma rescue the Dagda’s harp, Uaithne, which had been captured by the retreating Fomorians. [There’s way more that happens but this gives you an idea of what a great story it is.]
- Also according to the Lebor Gabala Erenn, Tailtiu was the wife of Eochaid mac Eirc, last Fir Bolg High King of Ireland, who named his capital after her (Teltown, between Navan and Kells). She survived the invasion of the Tuatha Dé Danann and became the foster mother of Lugh. Tailtiu is said to have died of exhaustion after clearing the plains of Ireland for agriculture. Lugh established a harvest festival and funeral games, Áenach Tailteann, in her honour, which continued to be celebrated as late as the 18th century… and continue today in other ways. Tailtiu is also refereneced many times in the Annals: Annals of Inisfallen (Irish: Annála Inis Faithlinn).
- Metrical Dindshenchas Volume 3, poem 1: The Festival of Carmán used to be held on 1st August. Carmán was a warrior and sorceress from Athens who tried to invade Ireland in the days of the Tuatha Dé Danann along with her three sons, Dub (“black”), Dother (“evil”) and Dian (“violence”). She used her magical powers to destroy all the fruit of Ireland. Four of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Crichinbel, Lug, Bé Chulle and Aoi, challenged Carman and her sons. The sons were forced to leave Ireland, and Carman was imprisoned. She died of longing and was buried in Wexford (Loch Garman) among oak trees. Her grave was dug by Bres. The place she was buried was called Carman after her, and the Tuatha Dé Danann are said to have instituted an Aonach Carmán, or the Festival of Carmán.
- Noínden Ulad (‘The Pangs of Ulster’): The Pangs is a remscéla (fore-tale) to the great Irish epic, Táin Bó Cúailnge, ‘The Cattleraid of Cooley’. It is also known as Ces Ulad, ‘The Affliction [or Debility] of the Ulstermen.' Macha is becoming more of a popular goddess to honour during Lúnasa. According to Morgan Daimler: “Since Macha and her sisters Badb and the Morrigan are called “mná trogain” — raven women — in the Sanas Cormac the idea of calling this holiday on which I honor Macha by a name that is, at least, a play on words with a term she is called by resonates with me.” You can read more about this idea/practice here. The connection of Macha with Lúnasa for me is a no brainer. Macha has a huge connection with horse culture, with her very name being etymologically related term machair, which is Scots for a “fertile grassy plain” that is maintained by continuous trampling and grazing of livestock. In the Dindsenchas, Macha is called Grian Banchure, the “Sun of Womanfolk” and is referred to as the daughter of Midir of Brí Léith, which would make Macha An Dagda’s grand-daughter. Macha is also a no brainer for me to include with Lúnasa, because there needs to be more honesty with regard to how much we prop up the patriarchy during Lúnasa. Lugh is great, but he isnt alone; and if we are going to tell the full history of a reconstructed Lúnasa, we also must include the Trogain, and a good cursing of Ulster men for good measure. There are several stories besides Macha’s death and curse we can also share during this time, and she isnt the only Macha either… indeed there are several. Being of partly Armagh heritage, I have a bit of a bias here for Macha for good reasons.
- Tale of the Devil Daly & The Legend of Knockfierna (Carroll O’Daly). Read a version here and another on Sacred Texts.
Lúnasa Megalithic Alignments & Sacred Sites
The following places are just a few sites that you can research and look into the folklore of around the month of August. Each has a unique history and connection to this special time of year.
1.) Teltown, Kells, Co. Meath. https://voicesfromthedawn.com/teltown/
2.) From the Locus Project at CELT, the goddess queen Tailte had one or two raths [residence(s)] in Munster: Ráith canann: a ráith of queen Tailte, LL 201; cf. Rathcannon tl., Co. Limerick & Ráith con: rath of queen Tailte, LL 201; in Tuath Tailten, UM 165b, Lec. 514, Stowe D ii 2, 656; cf. Rathcon, in dry. and d. Cashel, Tax. Rathcanann and Rath Con may or may not be identical. These two sites would be very interesting indeed to research and journey to further…
3.) Knockfeerina Ridge, Co. Limerick. Knockfierna or ‘Knock Dhoinn Firinne’ translates as the “Mountain of Truth”. “The young people of the locality gathered for the celebration on the level top of the ridge to the west of the conspicuous hump which forms the summit, and here they played games, flirted, danced and sang, ate and drank the dainties whic they had brought with them, and picked fraochain and flowers, some of which they laid on the small cairn called the ‘strickeen’ at the summit which covered the reputed entrance to Donn Firinne’s underground palace. In the evening a great bonfire was lit near the ‘strickeen’ (Danaher, p. 170). On the Strickeen lies the Lisnafeen Fairy Fort with a diameter of 100 feet, believed to be imbued with fairy magic. On the northern slope is a dolman known as ‘Giant Fawha’s Grave’ and the Cairn or monument at the summit is believed to be the site of the ancient temple of Stuadhraicin.
4.) Duma na nGiall, “the oldest monument on the Hill of Tara which is thought to date to the late Neolithic, around 5,000 years ago, is aligned with Loughcrew for (a) sunrise on Samhain/Imbolc viewed from Cairn U Loughcrew towards Tara; and (b) Bealtine/Lughnasadh sunset viewed from Tara towards Loughcrew. The sun pillar visible in the sky as the sun sets behind the hills of Loughcrew viewed from Tara” (Anthony Murphy).
5.) Cairn S at Slieve na Calliagh: What I find so exciting is how we saw megalithic astro-alignments for sites during Samhain and Imbolg, the Cairn S at Slieve na Calliagh has alignments to not only Bealtaine, but also Lúnasa. This for me really hits home the connection of a calendrical binary in ancient Ireland, of the summer and winter halves of the year and how the ancient Irish were incredible astronomical engineers. More needs to be researched, but i feel that the alignments and similiar cultural practices between Samhain-Imbolg and Bealtaine-Lúnasa are trying to convey this socio-cultural context for us to understand.
A beautiful point of fact is how according to Anthony Murphy: “one beautiful aspect of the sunsets at Bealtaine and Lughnasa as viewed from the chamber of Cairn S is the fact that shortly before setting, the sun is reflected in the waters of Lough Sheelin, which lies some 16km (10 miles) approximately to the northwest of Loughcrew.”
6.) Lios na Grainsi (Shining Grange/Lios Stone Circle) in Limerick which is aligned with the Lughnasadh cross quarter day and contains a massive stone known as the Rannach Chruim Duibh (Crom Dubh’s Division). (Monumental Ireland).
Lúnasa Taboos
- On my favourite subject of taboos: well, in Ireland, you dont cut corn or dig any potatoes before Lúnasa because it is evidence of bad husbandry and extravagant housewifery; and you best don’t cut all of the harvest down at first — always save an area for the last sheaf for the end of harvest in order to put out the hare.
- Gaelic football is strictly an amateur sport, with players, coaches, and managers prohibited from receiving any form of payment.
- Interestingly, there aren’t many taboos associated with Lúnasa that I have found so far. if you know of any others, please comment below!
Lúnasa Customs in Ireland
1.) Athletics Ireland Tailteann Schools’ Interprovincial Championship (colloquially known as Tailteann Interprovincials/Games) are not done in August, but I felt they were a worth a good mention. It is said that it is the modern successor of the games which are part of the pre-Christian history of Ireland, predating the ancient Olympic Games, and now provide a keenly fought annual contest for schools’ Intermediate boys and girls from Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. This event is for the Intermediate grade (u17) only. The top three athletes in each event, from the 4 provinces compete against each other for three medals. The top two athletes in each event are also be rewarded with international selection for the Schools Track and Field (SIAB),held annually. The 2023 Tailteann Interprovincial was held on Saturday 24th June 2023 in SETU Campus Carlow (the results can be found here). Several different trophies are awarded to both boys and girls: Best in Championship, Best in Longjump, Best in High Jump, Best in the 1500m, and Best in the 300m Race Walk. https://www.athleticsireland.ie/downloads/statistics/Tailteann_Schools_FINAL_.pdf
2.) The Tailteann Cup is a second tier Gaelic football championship competition held annually since 2022 and organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is contested by those county teams who do not qualify for the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the winner is awarded the Tailteann Cup. Contrary to what you might expect, the Tailteann Cup also isn’t played in August. Rather, the Tailteann Cup final this year was played on 15 July 2023 at Croke Park in Dublin, between Meath and Down. Meath won after defeating Down 2–13 to 0–14. https://www.rte.ie/sport/football/2023/0715/1394685-meath-come-good-in-second-half-to-land-tailteann-cup/
3.) All-Ireland competitions in both Gaelic Football and Hurling take place each year for both women and male athletes in which all of the island’s 32 counties compete to be crowned All-Ireland champions with the finals usually taking place in the month of September, but not always. The 2023 finals are due to be played on 30 July 2023 at Croke Park in Dublin. GAA Football and GAA Hurling will be very exciting this year! The main sport on a national level in Ireland is the national indigenous GAA games of hurling and Gaelic football which enjoy nationwide popularity ahead of rugby and soccer.
4.) The All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship (Irish: Craobh Shinsir Peile na mBan in Éirinn) is the premier inter-county competition in the game of ladies’ Gaelic football in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Ladies’ Gaelic Football Association and are played during the summer months, with the All-Ireland Final being played at Croke Park. The qualifiers were introduced in 2008. The winning team is presented with the Brendan Martin Cup (Irish: Corn Bhreandán Mháirtín).
5.) The Ladies’ National Football League is an annual inter-county ladies’ Gaelic football tournament, secondary to the All-Ireland Senior Ladies’ Football Championship. It is competed for annually in the Spring by the county teams of Ireland. The Division 1 final took place April 15th, 2023 with Kerry defeating Galway.
6.) The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship (SFC) (Irish: Craobh Shinsir Peile na hÉireann) is the premier inter-county competition in Gaelic football. County teams compete against each other and the winner is declared All-Ireland Champions. Defending Football champions Kerry will take on Leinster champions Dublin. The Sam Maguire Cup (Irish: Chorn Sam Mhic Uidhir), often referred to as Sam or The Sam, is a silver cup trophy awarded annually by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) to the team that wins the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the main competition in the sport of Gaelic football. The GAA organises the series of games, which are played during the summer months. The All-Ireland Football Final was traditionally played on the third or fourth Sunday in September at Croke Park in Dublin. In 2018, the GAA rescheduled its calendar and since then the fixture has been played at various dates. https://www.balls.ie/gaa/2023-all-ireland-sam-maguire-fixtures-552435
7.) The All-Ireland Senior Camogie Championship (Irish: Craobh Shinsir Peile na mBan in Éirinn) is a competition for inter-county teams in the women’s field sport of game of camogie played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Camogie Association, or An Cumann Camógaíochta, and are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland Camogie Final being played on the second Sunday in September in Croke Park, Dublin. The prize for the winning team is the O’Duffy Cup. The men’s equivalent tournament is the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship.
8.) The All-Ireland Hurling Final (Cluiche Ceannais Iomána na hÉireann) is the ultimate match played in the annual All-Ireland Hurling Championships (senior, minor and under-21 levels). The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final was listed in second place by CNN in its “10 sporting events you have to see live”, after the Olympic Games and ahead of both the FIFA World Cup and UEFA European Football Championship. The finals have been organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) since 1887. The All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, usually held on the first Sunday of September, is one of Ireland’s biggest sporting occasions, the culmination of a provincial, knock-out competition between Ireland’s thirteen best hurling teams. The winning senior hurling team is presented with The Liam MacCarthy Cup (Irish: Corn Liam Mhic Cárthaigh), which they hold until the following year’s final. The cup is adorned with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. Traditionally held at Croke Park, the presentation is made in the Hogan Stand, with players, led by the team captain, mounting a staircase to a special section where the presentation takes place. In the presence of the President of Ireland, the Taoiseach and other patrons and dignitaries, the winning captain accepts the Liam MacCarthy Cup from the President of the Gaelic Athletic Association.
Alright, now that the sports have been sufficiently covered, it is time to get into other Lúnasa cultural festivities & of course…Irish folk magic practices.
1.) Visit Struell Wells in Co. Down on the last Friday before Lúnasa (Michael Fortune, 2023 Irish Dresser Calendar). Other wells and pillar stones were decorated with flowers for Lúnasa, which is why it is called ‘Garland Sunday’ in some places in Ireland, but also because of “hoops decorated with ribbons and flowers which were made by unmarried girls and, latterly, carried to church before being set up in the graveyard to preside over the dancing with which the day terminated. Rites in honour of the dead seem to have marked the old [Lúnasa] festival, so that again we notice the association of ancestral spriits with the fertility of farm and family” (Estyn Evans, p. 276). Struell Wells are a set of four holy wells in the townland of Struell, 1.5 miles east of Downpatrick, County Down, Northern Ireland. The wells date from before the time of Saint Patrick, and even today are used for people seeking cures. There is an eye well, a men’s and women’s bathhouse, along with another well and stream — “the name Struell is said to be derived from tSruthail meaning stream. The buildings run parallel to the stream”.
2.) July 30th, last sunday before Lúnasa, is called Reek Sunday, Garland Sunday, Fraughan Sunday, Bilberry Sunday, Heatherberry Sunday, Mountain Sunday. “Climb ‘the Reek’ in Mayo. [“Reek” is a Hiberno-English word for “rick” or “stack” (of stones).] Take to the hills around you and pick fraughans. Make a fraughan cake” (MF, 2023 Irish Dresser Calendar). A very good fraughan cake topped with fraughan creme can be found here contributed by Hartson Dowd. Fraughans were customarily eaten as an aftercourse mashed with fresh creme and sugar (Danaher, p. 168) so we do see the custom continueing with combining creme with fraughan recipes. Barmbracks are more often cooked and eaten on August 1st. It is also said if you find money on the 1st Monday in August you will have luck for the year too.
Young children and elders were precluded [in the past] due to the strenuous hiking, and also probably in part by “faction fighting” that would sometimes organised (Cattle Lords, p. 142).
Reek Sunday (Irish: Domhnach na Cruaiche) or Garland Sunday is an annual day of pilgrimage in Ireland.
On the last Sunday in July, thousands of pilgrims climb Ireland’s holiest mountain, Croagh Patrick (764 metres) in County Mayo. It is held in honour of Saint Patrick who is said to have spent forty days fasting on the mountain in the 5th century. Masses are held at the summit, where there is a small chapel. Some climb the mountain barefoot, as an act of penance, and some carry out ‘rounding rituals’, which were formerly a key part of the pilgrimage. This involves praying while walking sunwise around features on the mountain: seven times around the cairn of Leacht Benáin (Benan’s grave), fifteen times around the circular perimeter of the summit, seven times around Leaba Phádraig (Patrick’s bed), and then seven times around three ancient burial cairns known as Reilig Mhuire (Mary’s cemetery). Until 1970, it was traditional for pilgrims to climb the mountain after sunset.
The pilgrimage has been held yearly for at least 1,500 years. It is likely that it pre-dates Christianity and was originally a ritual associated with the festival of Lughnasadh. Pilgrimages were made to the tops of many other mountains at this time of year, such as Knocknadobar, Drung Hill, Mount Brandon, and Slievecallan in Munster, Slieve Donard in Ulster and Church Mountain in Leinster. The earliest surviving mention of a pilgrimage at Croagh Patrick is from the year 1113, when the Annals of Ulster record that “a ball of fire came on the night of the feast of Patrick on Cruacháin Aighle [Croagh Patrick] and destroyed thirty of those fasting”. Historically, pilgrimages were made to the mountaintop on Saint Patrick’s Day, the Feast of the Assumption, and the last Friday in July (Crom Dubh’s Friday).
Today, most pilgrims climb Croagh Patrick from the direction of Murrisk Abbey to the north. Originally, most pilgrims climbed the mountain from the east, following the Togher Patrick (Tochár Phádraig) pilgrim path from Ballintubber Abbey. This route is dotted with prehistoric monuments. The Tochár Phádraig may have originally been the main route to the mountain from Cruachan, seat of the Kings of Connacht. The Tochar Phadraig was revived and reopened by Pilgrim Paths of Ireland.
Between 15,000 and 30,000 pilgrims participate, compared to a yearly climbing total of more than 100,000. The Archbishop of Tuam leads the climb each year. Up to 300 personnel from eleven mountain rescue teams from across Ireland are involved, including the local Mayo Mountain Rescue Team, for whom it is the busiest day of the year. Also involved is the Air Corps, Irish Cave Rescue Organisation (ICRO) the Order of Malta, Civil Defence Ireland and members of the Garda Síochána. Injuries ranging from cuts and broken bones to hypothermia and cardiac arrest occur each year. The climb takes two hours, on average, and one and a half hours to descend.
3.) Durrow Scarecrow Festival in Co. Laois (July 30-Aug 7th): https://durrowscarecrowfestival.com/ Something else to think about concerning attending festivals is the practice of taking a sweating bath prior to clear one’s complexion, but also for other reasons too. According to Emyr Estyn Evans: “…on Rathlin Island…eligible girls would take a sweating bath to clear their complexions before the annual visit to [Lúnasa] Fair at Ballycastle on the mainland” (p. 125).
4.) The head of the household cuts a few sheafs of corn (not maize: often barley or wheat), and digs the first new potatoes, which formed the basis of the day’s main meal on the first Sunday in August (Cattle Lords, p. 142). The First sheaf is buried on Lúnasa as offering on a hill/summit to An Dagda and the TDD gods proper (though special attention is often given to Tailtiu & Macha) and the ungods (Aos Sidhe) on a hill along with 1/10th “tip-top-pickle” of the first harvest. “It is interesting that the offering of tithes should be made not near the corn-plots but on a height, often as we know, a hill-summit which it would take several hours to climb. The deity was conceived of as having his home on the hill — indeed in the hill” (O’Dowd, p. 143). “On the third of the four quarter days, 1 August, and the beginning of autumn, there are records of an effigy decorated with flowers being carried around by young people…” (O’Dowd, Straw, Hay and Rushes, p. 121). Straw effigies were and still are popular representations on each of the quarter days, and is something we shouldnt forget. Also, “It is also probable that a meal of the produce, to which a special importance is attached, was eaten on the festival day at the end of July as, in more recent times when potatoes had taken the place of bread as the main food, a meal of a new first potatoes was eaten on thie first day of digging. Partaking of the meal, was undertaken to ensure against starvation and failure of food supply during the coming year” (O’Dowd, p. 142).
5.) Horse Racing in rivers [and other bodies of water] (Cattle Lords, p. 142). “The belief in the efficacy of the spancel was connected also to the Lúnasa festival at the beginning of the harvest. The chief custom of the day was the visiting of certain heights and watersides, including lakes, rivers and wells, and spending the hours relaxing and in celebration. While many heights and wells visited at Lúnasa are on the record, we know of only a handful o flakes. Three of these ar ein the midlands, three are in Connacht and a further three are in Ulster. A common practice on the festival at these lakes was the swimming of horses, and also cattle, in order to secure their wellbeing for the year ahead. In the 1830s, John O’Donovan, f the Ordnance Survey, was aware of the Lúnasa visit to the small lake in east Mayo (Loughkeeraun or Loch Ciarain) in the barony of Gallen. The people were still swimming their horses in the lake on the day, but an additional ceremony took place, consisting of throwing lumps of butter, spancels, and halters into the lake. There was also, in a former time, a tree near the lake to which the pilgrims tied buaracha, that is, spancels, with cords. Despite the best efforts of the local clergy to stop the practice at the lake near Bohola, it was still being visited every year in the 1940s and the spancels, with cords…it is also clear that the belief in the protective power of a simple straw or rush spancel was so strong that it became associated with three of the most important days in the Irish rural calendar: St Brigids Day, may Day, and Lúnasa (O’Dowd, p. 351).
Another connection with Lúnasa spancels is the following from Jane Brideson: “At Lough Keeran, a small pool known locally as a blessed well, horses were brought to the water to swim in order to protect them against ‘incidental evils’ in the coming months.
The tradition included submerging spancels and halters as an added safeguard although some were left in the well, perhaps as an offering. Cattle too were brought to the water and offerings of butter, the Clad Ime, were thrown to the lough spirits to guarantee a good milk yield.
A Rag Tree once stood near the lough with the ropes used for tying cows hung on branches in the belief sick cattle would be cured. This tree was later cut down by the order of the Bishop to prevent people from continuing the custom. However, as late as 1900’s offerings of butter rolls were still left at this well.
Pilgrims waded barefoot through the water and children had their heads placed underwater to guard against head ailments at St Moling’s Well, Co Carlow.
Whilst at Tubberberrin, in Co. Meath, which was famous for being dry all year, the well filled with water at midnight on Lughnasa Eve when it gave cures. The water remained in the well for three days before disappearing again.
The tradition at St Keiran’s Well, Castlekieran, Co. Meath, took also place at midnight on the first Sunday of August. It was then that three trout were said to appear in the water and for those seeking to be cured the presence of the fish was taken as a sign that the healing would be effective.
[Jane’s] local Lughnasa well is Toberloona, St Lugna’s Well, hidden besides the Slieve Bloom mountains in Co. Offaly, which was restored 1995. Little is known of the saint or of the rituals & legends associated with the well but some of us still visit at the start of harvest to honour the water.”
6.) The Lambs & The Bees: Lamb tithing & rounding up post shearing and washing in streams were done to abruptly end lactation — which was also common in western England and Welsh tradition at the beginning of August — in order to prepare them for further ovulation & breeding season with the rest of the flock in late August. This echoes the important sheep cycle of Imbolg. Whats more is that in addition to sheep shearing, boys would also go to the booleys with bee hives, moving them according to Brehon Law so as to help the bees produce “heather honey after August, when the white clover and other summer flowers were over” (Graham 1893: 159, Cattle Lords, p. 143–144).
7.) Puck Fair in Killorglin, Co. Kerry (Aug 10, 11, 12): “On the first day of the festivities, aptly named “Gathering Day”, volunteers called “goat catchers” capture a puck — a wild male mountain goat — and bring it back to town. The goat is then placed on a float decorated with purple heather and led into the centre of Killorglin during the Coronation Parade, where he is crowned as king to reign for three days. As tradition commands, “Queen Puck” is given the honour and duty of crowning the king. The queen, a local schoolgirl, is selected by writing the best essay about why she deserves to be queen. To finalize the coronation and officially kick off the festival, the queen reads the Puck Fair Proclamation in Irish, German and French to the cheering crowd below. The second day of the festival, “Fair Day”, showcases one event in particular: the Cattle Fair. It takes place after the Horse Show, the first of the festival’s street livestock sales. Like the horse sale — where vendors peddle their harnesses, bridles, headgear, reigns and other horse tack — the cattle fair draws crowds of farmers and spectators to circle around sellers and customers haggling over prices. Local farming families constitute the bulk of the cattle vendors, who bring their pen-held cattle to Langford Street just after 7 am. These days, cattle run more than 600 euros a head — a hefty investment in more ways than one. 12 August, “Scattering Day”, marks the last day of events, and ends with the dethronement of King Puck. A larger-than-life puppet of the king is paraded out of town, and the goat is released back into the Kerry Mountains. For his last moments as king, Puck sits on the same lofty parade float, which travels from the town plaza across the River Laune Bridge and to the fishery, which acts as a border between the town and the mountain range. The goat catchers then lead the puck back home.” (E Estyn Evans, p. 256–257). https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20141103-in-killorglin-irelands-goat-king-still-reigns & https://puckfair.ie/
8.) Kilkenny Arts Festival (Aug 10–20): https://www.kilkennyarts.ie/
9.) National Heritage Week (Aug 12–20): “The Minister of State for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan, TD, has today launched National Heritage Week 2023, which takes place nationwide from Saturday 12th to Sunday 20th August. A colourful range of events and projects celebrating all aspects of our heritage will take place across the country as communities, families, holiday makers and people of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to get out and explore their heritage. Over 1,000 FREE events and projects have already been registered with that figure expected to reach close to 2,000 before the festivities kick off. Galleries, gardens, historic houses, barnyards and studios will play host to events covering everything from architecture to archaeology, film to foraging, philosophy to genealogy and music to storytelling. Walks, talks and workshops will satisfy the heritage curious among us who can search for events taking place in their area either by county or by topic from here.
The theme for National Heritage Week this year is ‘Living Heritage’ which is defined as the practices, knowledge and skills that have been passed from one generation to the next, and are still in use today. As such, many events and projects will focus on the keeping alive of these crafts and skills, and this year’s launch took place at the workshop of Tom McDonnell and James Collins, two of the last remaining men practicing the dying trade of Traveller tinsmithing.” https://www.heritageweek.ie/
10.) Lady Day (Aug 15): “Dip your feet in water or the sea on this day. Start of Pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Island, Wexford and St. Odhran’s Well, Tipperary. Start of Borris Fair in Carlow as well” (MF 2023 Irish Dresser Calendar). “It is Lady Day today (Feast of the Assumption) and in the past people in Wexford people would try visit the sea on this day. This was done in other counties too including Waterford and Down and probably others too. This sea-visiting tradition is still going strong in Brittany however it seems to have faded in popular here in the 1960s. The idea is that you visit water on this day and sport and play and end it all by dipping your feet in the sea. The ancient Pilgrimage to Our Lady’s Island here in Wexford also starts on this day too and in the past there was even a custom of walking around the island with one foot on land and the other in the water. The day is also important with some of the rural Catholic communities in Newfoundland as they mark Lady Day with celebrations and feasting of their new potatoes and vegetables. Sadly the 15th of August also heralded the end of Summer and some believed the evenings drew in after this date. Anyway, we’ll park that one for a few more weeks and if you can, get to the sea or at least dip the toes” (Michael Fortune).
“In the 6th century, St Abban chose Lady’s Island as the location for his monastery, and sometime in the following century it became a place of pilgrimage. It is by far the oldest and most significant Marian shrine in Ireland.
Pilgrims walk around the island reciting the rosary (and some would do so with one foot in the sea whilst walking on land with the other). The pilgrimage starts on the 15th of August and ends on the 8th of September with over 50,000 pilgrims taking part.
The place Lady’s Island ( Oileán Mhuire) is a small island located a few miles south of Wexford town. The island is located within Lady’s Island Lake ( Loch Tóchair — the Lake of the Causeway) and is connected to the mainland by a causeway (tóchar) which gives the lake its Irish name. It is a saline lake separated from the sea by a sand bar close to Carnsore Point.
The lagoon nature of the lake and its proximity to the sea make it almost unique in Europe and an area of great ecological significance.
The actual Lady’s Well is on the mainland. It is found by passing over a stile and through a couple of fields, look for our lady on the wall on the lane… and a signpost.
Perhaps the pilgrimage had older origins. The area seems to have held importance in pre-Christian times when it was used during the August festival of Lughnasa. [See above about “The Festival of Carmán”].
Pagan worship sites in the locality included two sun veneration sites at nearby Ballytrent and Carnsore Point. Ballytrent was renowned for its ráth or fort, which was the most extensive of its kind in Western Europe. In a 1903 publication of Irish place names the island is referred to as “Cluain-na-mBan”, meaning the “meadow of the women”. This is possibly because pagan druidesses were based in this area. Following the introduction of Christianity in Ireland many pagan sites were Christianised.”
11.) St. Moling Day (Aug 20): “the date for the annual Pattern at Mullinakill in Co. Kilkenny” (MF 2023 Irish Dresser calendar). http://irelandsholywells.blogspot.com/2011/09/saint-molings-well-county-kilkenny.html
12.) National (Tullamore Harriers) Half Marathon (Aug 26): The Tullamore Half Marathon will take place on the 26th August 2023, Tullamore Harriers are looking forward to an even better event for this year’s race. The race will start from Harriers Stadium at 10 o’clock taking in a scenic route through Mucklagh, Killurin and Cloonagh before finishing with a lap of the stadium track.
Last year’s race attracted hundreds of runners from all over the country as well as a large turnout of spectators. We were delighted with the huge level of positive feedback from participants who were highly complementary of the friendly environment, carnival atmosphere and the quality of the facilities available on the day. The Quinlan Cup will be presented to the winning male team and the Phyllis Delaney Cup to the winning ladies team https://eventmaster.ie/event/1yJGcwDHeM
13.) The Races of Castlebar (Aug 27): The Battle of Castlebar in Co. Mayo in 1798" (MF IDC). The legendary Races of Castlebar, which took place on August 27, 1798, when a combined force of 2,000 French troops and Irish patriots routed a force of 6,000 British militia. The long-awaited French landing to assist the Irish revolution begun by Theobald Wolfe Tone’s Society of United Irishman had taken place five days earlier, when almost 1,100 troops under the command of General Jean Joseph Amable Humbert landed at Kilcommom, near Killala. On 31 August, the rebels proclaimed a “Republic of Connaught” — which lasted 12 days before being retaken. On 5 September, the British forces were again defeated at Collooney but, after that, the rebellion quickly unfolded. More troops gathered and by the Battle of Ballinamuck on 8 September, their strength was over 15,000. Ballinamuck was the end for the French general, Humbert, who handed in his surrender. The Irish rebels fought on briefly until scattered; 200 were captured and 500 killed. Killala was re-taken on 12 September. More French warships sailed for Ireland, but were decisively defeated by the Royal Navy near Tory Island. With that the 1798 rebellion ended. The captured French soldiers were transferred to England and eventually repatriated. The French officers of Irish origin were hanged in Dublin with the Irish rebels.
14.) 2023 National Ploughing Championships in Co. Laois (Sep 19–21st): The National Ploughing Championships (Irish: Comórtas Náisiúnta Treabhdóireachta) or NPC, previously known as The National Ploughing Championships Machinery & Livestock Exhibition, is an outdoor agricultural show in Ireland incorporating a ploughing contest. Held every September, it draws over 1,700 exhibitors and had 297,000 visitors in 2019. There are distinct categories of horse drawn and tractor ploughing, as well as for the use of reversible ploughs.
Ancillary events such as pole climbing competitions have also taken place as part of the Championships.
The first Irish inter-county ploughing contest was held between County Wexford and County Kildare on 16 February 1931 in a 26-acre field at Coursetown in Athy in County Kildare. Since then, the National Ploughing Championships has expanded to over 800 acres with 1,700 exhibitors. It has been extended beyond displays relating to ploughing, farming and machinery and now includes a tented trade village, live entertainment and music, fashion shows, a craft village, cooking demonstrations, sheep dog trials, pony games and other activities. https://www.npa.ie/.
Lúnasa Conclusion
This article, was a bit of a hurricane, I have to admit.
Researching however, did have me click a few things in my head concerning Irish horse culture, sports, and the ancestors. Focusing on other Irish cultural practices (in addition to agricultural ones) helps i feel bring everything full circle — where we can really start to see similiarities amongst the Irish cross quarter festivals, and help us better to understand authentic practices/wardings/offerings of relationship with the Otherworld.
As the O.G. Brón Trogain reminds us, there is pain in birth (ie harvest) and even a little bit of death so that more life can continue. By picking the fruit, we end the spirit movement from the land into it, and take it into ourselves and share it with our community. It all folds into eachother…
Maybe that is why there is such subtle death associated with this festival — the guilt or sadness that comes with doing what one must do to survive, or ensure the survival of the next (re)generation…
I hope this mind-dump was helpful, and please forgive any spelling/grammar errors. I tried my best at a quick edit because i promised that this would be posted by Lúnasa eve night, with the coveat that i could update as needed.
Stay safe out there comrades! I love you.
Lúnasa Resources & Bibliography
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=_2hQQO17gW8
- https://www.heritageweek.ie/
- https://www.heritageweek.ie/news/national-heritage-week-2023
- https://ringofgullion.org/events/lunasa-festival-straw-craft/
- Danaher, Kevin (1972). “A Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs”.
- Estyn Evans, Emyr (1957). “Irish Folk Ways”.
- O’Brien, Lora. (2019) “Lughnasadh in Ireland”. https://loraobrien.ie/lughnasadh-in-ireland/
- Patterson, Nerys (2012). “Cattle Lords & Clansmen: The Social Structure of Early Ireland”. Second Edition.
- Trinity Communications: “Catholic Activity: Lammas or Loaf Mass Day, Thanksgiving for Grain Harvest” https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/activities/view.cfm?id=462
- https://irishpaganschool.com/p/lunasa
- https://derekjameshealey.medium.com/decolonising-autumn-57c23d871808
- https://www.facebook.com/folklore.ie/posts/pfbid0dzdLHh3mC9hbMpyNcAvfW77yWg5iSWNsx8HvYJQ1p8cGus9QPh66xV7bpP39QBZ2l
