Bealtaine, May 1st, the traditional first day of Irish summer, stands as one of the cornerstones of the Celtic calendar, alongside Imbolc, Lughnasadh, and Samhain. Named after the Celtic deity Beal, guardian of the sun and fire, Bealtaine celebrates fertility, rejuvenation, and light.
Ancient tradition involved lighting bonfires upon hilltops and often running cattle around them. Their flames served as both sanctuaries of purification and beacons of protection for crops, livestock, and the community.
Entwined with the dance of fire were the colourful threads of May Day customs. Sacred ribbons were tied to May bushes and trees and rhythmically woven around Maypoles and the crafting of May Day garlands.
These pre-Christian practices survived into Catholicism in the form of prayers bound to holy trees and healing wells. Households often made altars to the Virgin Mary at this time, too.
Yet, Bealtaine is not merely a pageantry of agricultural rites; it is also a stage for the dance of courtship. In days of yore, young hearts would converge in a whirl of dancing, feasting, and matchmaking games, connecting the human life cycle with the sacred land we call home.
Photo credit https://t.co/O3cnHdALFu
GIVEAWAY 📚
In honour of #TerryPratchettDay, we're giving away Discworld books. Which ones? In the spirit of 'starting in the wrong place', we'll pick some of your recs for the best place to start.
To enter, share this post and follow @PratchettOnline. Winners picked 1 May.
@darachos I think sometimes it's more "don't know where to start". I used to say I couldn't cook, but got some meal delivery kits and now love and feel confident cooking anything new. Seasoning to taste and adding some or all of an ingredient makes a big difference to quality & confidence
I know that there’s no real difference between today and tomorrow but damn if i’m not a slut for the symbolism of it all! a blank page! a fresh start!! new year new me!!!!
Imagine trying to frame your political party as the party of home ownership when 12 years of Fine Gael in government has resulted in the complete opposite 🤯.
I don't know who they think they’re fooling, but I know people have had enough of this ridiculous spin.
@benpartridge Even if you turn off autoplay, Twitter is the only app that fully stops my podcasts when I press on a video, rather than pausing. Very annoying!
@AdamKoszary It seems simple, but I was impressed by Dublin Castle (@dublincastleopw) who have an audioguide you can play on your phone through a browser, through soundcloud or download as a podcast!
Thanks to the @Discworldshoppe, I have this copy of Guards! Guards! to give away! It would be great for any collection or to gift to someone new to Discworld.
To Enter,
1) Like and Retweet this post
2) Comment below with "#OOK!"
Closes 8pm BST 22nd April 2022