Irish Festivals

Irish are well known for their fun loving nature, which is brought to the fore by the many festivals celebrated by them. Irish festivals blend in the tradition with the fun aspect of the celebrations, thus spreading goodwill and camaraderie all around. It can be said that Ireland is a land of festivals with about every month marking the celebration of festivities.

Spring festivals
Saint Patricks Day, the most important festival of the Irish is celebrated around March 17th every year to honor the saint that introduced Christianity in this pagan dominated isle. It is a day where the whole of Ireland comes out on the streets to participate in the colorful parades, and enjoy the foot tapping music and jive along with the masked dancers. People make a point to wear a shamrock that say as it was the symbol of the revered saint. There is also the tradition to have a drink of Patricks pot (whiskey) on that day. It is customary to attend the church in the day and have dinners comprising of corned beef and cabbage. This festival has pervaded all around the world with huge parades and musical events taking place around the globe. Other festivals celebrated in the spring season are the Chalk Sunday, Easter and Mayday. Chalk Sunday is Celebrated on the first Sunday after Shrove Tuesday, where all unmarried men and women are marked with chalk by mischievous pranksters, much to the embarrassment of the former. Easter is celebrated to mark the joyous occasion of the resurrection of Lord Christ from the dead. In Ireland, It is customary for the people to cook, boil, roast eggs and eat it as they are considered a symbol of life And new birth. Children paint the eggs and play various games like Egghunt, egg-race etc. May Day is a folk festival which is celebrated by gathering of flowers and maypole dancing to honor the pagan god of lucky fires or two fires.

Summer festivals

Midsummers eve is a traditional festival, whereby it is believed that fairies come to earth to steal mortal brides. It is followed by the celebration of the Midsummers day, which is a Celtic fire festival marking the shortening of days as the winter gradually approaches. Lughasa is another pagan festival, celebrated around 29th of September to mark the beginning of the harvest season.

Winter festivals
Winters brings with it the season of Christmas celebration, which is celebrated on the Emerald isle with the same fervor as it is celebrated all over the world. However what is distinctive is the special ornaments which is passed down from generation to generation and is used to decorate the Christmas tree. It is believed that the tree should be removed from he threshold of the house before 7th January as it would otherwise bring bad luck. Another important Irish festival is the St. Stephens Day and St. Brigids Day.

Autumn Festivals
Samhain, or Halloween as we know it owes its origin to Irish Celts, which marked the beginning of Autumn Season. Celts believed that the life giving Sun became the captive of the winters. And thus they prayed for the safe return of the sun by dressing up in animal skins and lighting huge bonfires. This came to be known as Halloween all over the world as is still celebrated today on 31st October. Other important festivals celebrated in the autumn season are the St. Martins Day, Autumn festival day and November Eve