Lùghnasadh

Also known as:Lunasdal / Lammas

Traditional Lore

The festival of Lughnasadh is one of the important quarter days in the Gaelic-Celtic calendar. It marked the ending of summer and the coming of autumn and then winter.

The festival was celebrated with a sacrifice of the fruits of the soil, either cultivated produce (such as oats, wheat and other crops) or wild produce (like fruit, berries and such like). Tradition has these sacrifices dedicated to Lùgh (Lùghaidh Lamh-fhada, Lugh of the Long Hand), who the festival appears to be named after. Lore has it that Lùgh started the tradition of the festival in honour of his foster mother Tailltu, calling the fair 'Tailltenn'. Legend has it she was buried under a mound and thus why the preference today for Lùghnasadh to occur on a height or raised mound. Often these hillsites or raised sites were at some distance from settlement, thus precluding those without the physical strength to get there. In some areas the tradition had the festival taking place at the shores of a river, where horses were raced through the water.

At the fair of Tailltenn unions were arranged, the tradition carried onto Lùghnasadh. It became a time where marriage was most fortunuous, handfasting was encouraged, giving people a year and a day to trial their marriage. This meant that if the union was not successful, the parties could seperate and try again next Tailltenn. The divine marriage was often re-enacted (before being banned by Christian priests) and many felt that lovemaking helped encourage the fertility of the soil.

The festival of Lughnasadh gave its name in Gaelic to the month following and also became known as the season of fairs, with a number of them scheduled during the still fine weather. Gatherings were conducted around this time in fishing villages, the fishermen talking of "gathering against the soon to be winter storms". Tables were spread with scones, oatcakes, and butter. Other foods such as eggs and smoked hams quickly followed. The nights contained much drinking, songs, riddle contests and fortunes were discovered. However, dancing was frowned upon as it was believed it would attract the 'trows' (spirit folk).

Lughnasadh had a number of special traditions tied to food and other life giving events. Ritual was tied to saining, fire, curds, the bannock and herd rites.

As during the festival of Bealltainn, Saining rites were important and performed on the eve of Lughnasadh. Old woman gave care to the cattle, covering their tails and ears with tar, tying threads that were either blue or red to their tails and chanting incantations at the udders. In order to protect both the cow and its milk against decline a ball of cow's hair (a ronag) was put into the pail of milk on either Lughnasadh day or the thursday afterwards. This was extended in some regions where a blessing fire (crogain) was put around the earthenware storage jars that were to contain the butter or milk.

The use of bonfires during the Lughnashadh festivities was documented up until the 19th century. In some regions of Scotland there was a tradition of the young lads of the area would travel from hamlet to hamlet raising funds to in turn buy woods (of the 9 sacred woods) to build into a huge bonfire for Lughnasadh night.

At this time the cattle were brought down from the summer pastures to the household. Everyone, and the children that were at the sheiling got given a gift of good luck and good will in the form of a curd cheese. It is possible that this was a form of cowdie.

Bannock was, like at Bealltainn, popular at Lughnasadh and each bannock was dedicated to Maire (The Mother Mary). The feast of Mary fell less then two weeks after Lughnasadh, and Là Fhèil Moire at a later day came to overshadow the Lughnasadh festivities and in some areas absorb portions of the earlier tradition. The corn (wheat, oats etc) was hand gathered, seperated, dried and hand ground in preparation for the baking of the bannock. The dough was kneeded on a sheepskin, and was called 'Moilean Moire' - 'The fatling of Mary'. It was cooked on rowan branches or on a fire made from one of the other sacred woods. When it was served it was broken into pieces and served in order of rank and age around the house, the husband, the wife and then to each of the children by their age. At the finishing of the bannock the man of the house would go around the fire, and put the fire ash within an old pot along with some pieces of old iron. It was then carried sunwise around the house, with the household following him, whilest they all chanted the praise of Mary (The mother of Lugh could be substituted), an example of which is 'The Paean of Mary'.

Alexander Carmichael in his Carmina Gadelica gives an example of a Lughnasadh practice from Scotland, that obviously has origins in pre-Christian times. At the begining of the Harvest the family would go to the field of corn wearing their best clothing. The father would take his sickle and cut a handful of corn, circling this bundle around his head three times deisal, and he raised a chant called Iolach Bauna (a reaping salutation). Everyone joined the chant, praising the God of the Harvest, thanking him for the bountiful harvest, the corn, bread, food, flocks, clothes and good health. He was believed to have brought a good harvest to the land and to their lives. Within his book Carmichael recorded a blessing relevant to the Harvest that echoes the pagan and agricultural parts of Lughnasadh:

Lore about Lugh

The mythology surrounding the god Lugh helps give depth to the meaning of Lughnasadh as it is his name that gave a title to the festival.

Lughnasadh is linked with Imbolg along the axis of the year, both are related to initiation and are intertwined with the outcome of the Tribe's interaction with the Land. Lugh himself crafts the energy of the Land (In the form of Brighid's fire) flawlessly, for the benefit of the Tribe as a whole.

Lugh was fathered by Cian upon Eithne, whose name means kernel, is comparitable with the fathering of Bres. Lugh's father was a Tuatha De Dannan, representing the Tribal forces overcoming the Land forces of his Fomorian mother. Bres however, was fathered by a Fomorian upon a De Dannan woman, which threw the Dannan into blight (As outlined in the story 'The Second Battle of Moytura').

After his birth, Lugh was fostered out to the God, Manannan Mac Lir as his mother feared for his life. Manannan appears to be an earlier version of Lugh himself, interacting with the Tuatha de Dannan but not one himself. Later Lugh was fostered to the Fir Bolg queen Tailtu, who died, and who the feast of Lughnasadh is in turn in honour of.

Modern celebrations

To build up a modern set of relevant celebrations for Lughnasadh the themes of the festival have to be first defined. This can be done by studying the lore and legends although much of the work is already done for us in Alexei Kondratiev's Celtic Rituals, and using his list the themes would be as follows:

1. An Assembly on a Height
2. A Pageant of the Triumph of the Light
3. Solemn reaping and enjoyment of the First Fruits. cultivated and wild
4. The Racing of Horses (who embody the force of the Tribe) through Water (which embodies the Land spirits)
5. Men and Women paired in Fertility Magic
6. The Burial of Flowers, marking the End (Decline) of Summer
7. The Reaffirmation of the Tribe's Order.

Although there are quite a few themes underlying Lughnasadh, the most notable one is the gathering at a height. This ties back to the lore about the burial of Lugh's foster mother. It also can be seen to raise the group above the forces of the Land, given more strength in the affirmation of the Tribal Order. Modern day, this practice is easy, given the chance, the ritual can take place on a hill or raised piece of land, permission is the only preclusion.

The pageant is an easy thing to recreate, given enough ritualists. Scenes from the Book of Invasions can be acted out, Lugh's triumph over the doorman of Tara, and then his grand win at the final battle against Balor.

The reaping and cultivation of first fruits becomes more complex. Ideally a few of the tribe would have gardens to bring food from, but failing that good foods and fruits can be bought and made and then offered to the Gods and shared with the tribe. A noticable and significant offering. This is the time to celebrate the successful year, the successful interaction between the Tribe and the Land.

The reaping blessing from the Carmina Gadelica can be recited as the offering of the first fruits is made. Chanted loudly in English or preferably Gaelic. The theme of abundunce can also been recreated with baking of bannocks to feed the folk at the taigh (house), as well as the array of meats presented at Lughnasadh feasts.

The racing of horses through water, is a difficult practice to replay unless everyone has access to horses and the appropriate safe riding ability. However, the activity can be turned into a game, with either race through sprayed water during warmer days, or races could be held through river fords, tribe members acting the part of horses for the race.

The pairing of partners for fertility magic, or even just handfasting can be problematic. Although this is the time of the year best suited for anyone in the tribe wanting to make a pact of love - in trial for a year and day. Fertility magics acted out on this day could be used to help conception, should it be wanted, or used to bless the soil and land for a greater growth next harvest.

The burying of the flowers, can be easily done as a progression of the ritual. It is an acknowledgement of the slowly dying samos energies as Tribe heads towards the darker giamos energies that is winter.

The final part of the ritual night, before feasting is started is the reaffirmation of the tribal order. This has to be approached in both a spiritual and physical manner. The place of the Tribe within the structure of the universe has to be strengthened. The relationship to the mythical treasures of the Gael, the World Tree and from these the Tribe needs to see where their strengths come from. On the physical level, the ranking and physical order of the tribe is reaffirmed, bonding people closer in friendship and kinship.

The day and night is best finished with a feast, song, poetry, riddles and divination.

References

• Carmichael, Alexander Carmina Gadelica : Hymns and Incantations (1992)
• Kondratiev, Alexei Celtic Rituals : An Authentic Guide to Ancient Celtic Sprituality (1998)
• MacNeill, F. Marian The Silver Bough : National festivals Candlemas to Harvest Home (Vol 2) (1959)
• Patterson, Nerys Thomas Cattle Lords and Clansmen : The Social Structure of Early Ireland (1994)
• Ross, Anne Folklore of the Scottish Highlands (2000)