Description
Book SynopsisFirst published in 1972 this volume describes how the round of the year, with its cycle of festivals and seasonal work, was observed in the Ireland of yesterday. We follow the rhythm of the year from New Year to Easter, May Day to Harvest and Christmas along the chain of high days and feast days, St Brighid's Day, The Borrowed Days, Midsummer, St Swithin's Day, Lúnasa, The Pattern Day, Samhain, Martinmas and Christmas, fishing boat - belief and usage - feasting and merrymaking. Picturesque customs are revealed - some forgotten, some forbidden, some still familiar, such as 'the making of St Brighid's cross - marriage divinations - watching the dancing of the sun on a hilltop on Easter morning - going to the Skelligs - cock-throwing - bullbaiting - herring processions - the swimming of the horses on Lunasa - and many others. A multi-coloured tapestry. Kevin Danaher has drawn on a wide variety of sources and on more than thirty years research into Irish folk tradition. He is the author of In Ireland Long Ago, Gentle Places and Simple Things, Irish Country People, Folktales of the Irish Countryside and The Pleasant Land of Ireland.
Trade Review'This is a book written in 1972 on the Irish Calendar customs. It describes how the year, with its cycle of festivals and seasonal work, was observed in Ireland in the 19-20th centuries. The author draws on a wide variety of sources and on more than thirty years of research into Irish Folk traditions. The book gives the reader an idea of how the year was for many of the inhabitants of Ireland that still followed the old traditions. You get the sense of what each strata of the community was up too at which time of the year. The book starts on Saint Brighid’s day and goes all the way to Christmas. It encompasses both Pagan and Christian days and gives the activities associated with the said day. It is a book that you can read in one go at first and then go back too at the appropriate time of year for inspiration. I really enjoyed reading the book because it gave me ideas on things that I could do on my own rituals and celebrations. It gives the sense of the ebb and flow of the year and how the seasons were related to each other and how one activity during a certain time can be related to another in another time. I think it is a must read book for anyone who is interested in following an Irish path of spirituality be it Christian or Pagan.' - The Celtic Scholar
Table of ContentsIntroduction
SAINT BRIGHID’S DAY -Saint Brighid’s Crosses - Making the Crosses - The Brideóg - Brat Bride - Crios Bríde - Cattle and Crops - Other
Beliefs and Customs
CANDLEMAS
SHROVE TUESDAY - Shrovetide Weddings
CHALK SUNDAY - ‘Going to the Skelligs’ - ‘The Ash Bag’ - Sprinkling of Salt - Domhnach na Smuit; ‘Puss Sunday’ - Some other customs
ASH WEDNESDAY
LENT
SAINT PATRICK’S DAY
LADY DAY
PALM SUNDAY
EASTER - Good Friday - Easter Saturday - Herring Processions - The Dance of the Sun - Easter Eggs - Feasting - The Cake Dance - Other Easter Beliefs and Customs - Easter Monday
APRIL FOOLS’ DAY
THE BORROWED DAYS
MAY DAY- Welcoming the Summer - May Balls - May Dew - Charms and Counter-charms - Health - The Fairies at Maytime - Other May Day Beliefs and Customs
ASCENSION THURSDAY
WHITSUNTIDE
CORPUS CHRISTI
MIDSUMMER
The Midsummer Fire - Jumping over the Fire - The Family Fire - The Growing Crops - The Cattle at Midsummer - The Dwellinghouse at Midsummer - HerbGathering - Other Midsummer Beliefs and Customs
SS PETER AND PAUL
THE TWELFTH OF JULY
SAINT SWITHIN’S DAY
‘HUNGRY JULY’
THE FIRST OF THE HARVEST - Outdoor Gatherings - Gatherings on Hills - Gatherings at Lakes and Rivers - Other Lunasa Customs and Beliefs - Cork Harbour Ceremony
THE ASSUMPTION
SAINT BARTHOLOMEW’S DAY
THE PATTERN DAY
MICHAELMAS
THE END OF THE HARVEST - The Clousur - Gleaning - The Harvest Home - Harvest Knots - The Disposal of the Last Sheaf
SAMHAIN - Feasting and Merrymaking - Samhain Beliefs and Customs - Hallowe’en Guisers - Games, Dares and Pranks - Weather Divination - Divination Games - Marriage Divination
ALL SOULS DAY
MARTINMAS
CHRISTMAS - Preparing for Christmas - Christmas Eve - Christmas Day - Waits - Saint Stephen’s Day - The Mummers - Holy Innocents - New Year - Handsel Monday - Epiphany
APPENDIX - Church Feasts and Fasts
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
