Pagan Celtic holidays, also known as the Wheel of the Year, were celebrated by the ancient Celtic people based on the changing seasons and agricultural cycles. Their religious beliefs were deeply tied to nature, and these holidays were an important part of their spiritual practice. The year of the Celtic calendar was divided into two halves, light and dark, which align with the winter and summer seasons. The holidays marked the transition from one season to another and were seen as sacred times when the veil between the physical and spiritual worlds was thin. Four major holidays were celebrated throughout the year: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st, marked the beginning of spring and was associated with the goddess Brigid.
Imbolc, celebrated on February 1st, marked the beginning of spring and was associated with the goddess Brigid. It was a time of purification, fertility, and new beginnings. Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, marked the beginning of summer and was associated with the god Belenus.
The eight sacred Celtic holidays of the year
There are eight special sacred days, holidays, and festivals in Ireland that date back to the old Celtic world.
Christianity adopted many of their feast days to match the old Celtic traditions - learn about them below:
St Brigid's Day - Imbolc
St. Brigid's Day - Imbolc.
The year's first sacred holiday, the feast day of Saint Brigid, is celebrated on February 1, marking the beginning of Spring.
The Bogha Bríde or Brigid's Day Cross is the symbol of the day. Traditionally, reeds or straw are collected from the fields and crafted into a cross. St. Brigid is Ireland’s first native saint, the most celebrated Irish female saint, and was the Abbess of one of the first convents in Ireland.
Read more
- The enduring traditions of St. Brigid's Day
St. Patrick's Day - Spring Equinox
The most well known and widely celebrated of all the Celtic traditional holidays. Photo source: Tourism Ireland.
Around the globe, Irish people and those of Irish descent celebrate St. Patrick's Day on March 17, which is one of Ireland's biggest holidays.
The special holiday is devoted to the patron saint of Ireland. The religious day is marked by a special mass for the feast and traditionally everyone wears green. This is considered the middle of the Spring season and is also referred to as the Spring Equinox.
Celebrate everything Irish this March with IrishCentral's global community.
May Day - Bealtaine
Celebrate May Day at Uisneach Fire Festival.
May Day, the 1st of May, is a Holy Day in Ireland that marks the start of the summer season.
Centuries ago, bonfires were lit to welcome the arrival of summer. In Ireland, depending on what day the holiday falls on, the feast is marked by a public holiday.
In towns around the country, May Day fairs are held where farmers and traders all gather in towns to sell their wares.
Read more
- Ancient Celtic festival of Bealtaine begins May 1
Midsummer - Summer solstice
Summer Solstice at Hill of Tara.
The summer solstice is marked in parts of Ireland by bonfires on the side of the road. It is usually celebrated on June 23, the longest day of the year. In rural Ireland communities gather and for their local bonfire and celebrate the longest day of the year with song and dance.
Read more
- How to celebrate the Summer Solstice the Irish way
Lughnasa
In ancient times this sacred day marked the beginning of harvest on August 1. It honored the Celtic God of Lugh.
In Gaelic folklore, it was the time for hand-fastings or trial marriages that would last a year and a day, which could then be renewed. Many celebrate the holiday today with reunions, bonfires, and dancing.
Read more
- Lughnasa recipes, rituals, traditions and symbols for the ancient Celtic festival
Autumnal/Fall Equinox
Apple orchard in Armagh during the harvest. Image: Tourism Ireland.
Similar to the St. Patrick's Day festival, the Autumn/Fall Equinox celebrates when night and day are of equal duration and usually falls in the middle of Fall, around September 21.
The symbol of the sacred day is the cornucopia as all the harvest is collected and the stocks for winter is hoped to be plentiful.
Read more
- Welcoming the autumnal equinox at one of Ireland’s most magical ancient sites
Summer Solstice at Hill of Tara.
It was a time of fertility, abundance, and the celebration of life. Bonfires were lit, and couples would jump over the flames to bring good fortune and fertility to their relationships. Lughnasadh, celebrated on August 1st, marked the beginning of the harvest season and was associated with the god Lugh. It was a time to give thanks for the abundance of the land and to honor the sacrifices made for sustenance. Games, competitions, and feasting were common during this holiday. Samhain, celebrated on October 31st, marked the beginning of winter and was associated with the god Samhain. It was the most significant holiday, as it was believed that the veil between the physical and spiritual realms was the thinnest on this day. It was a time to honor and communicate with ancestors, as well as to protect against evil spirits. In addition to these major holidays, the Celtic people also celebrated the solstices and equinoxes, which marked the changing seasons. These were times of balance and transition, when the natural world shifted from light to dark or dark to light. Pagan Celtic holidays were an integral part of the Celtic culture, connecting them to the rhythms of nature and the cycles of life. Although the ancient traditions have largely been lost, some modern pagan and neopagan groups continue to celebrate these holidays today, adapting them to fit their own spiritual beliefs and practices..
Reviews for "Music, Dance, and Celebration in Pagan Celtic Festivals"
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