Irish Tradition--Lammas, End of Summer

First Festival of the year

Out of the 4 Sabbat celebrated by the Celtics, the Sabbat of Lughnasadh/Lammas is considered to be the 1st day of autumn and the 1st festival of the year. This takes place from sundown of the 31st of July up to the sundown of the 1st of August. This day honors the foster mother of Lugh, Taillte , in honor of an oath he swore. This is a day full of games, eating and prancing around.

Lammas was originally called “Lugnasadh,” pronounced as “loo-nah-sah” , its old Irish Gaelic name. This time of the year is also the time for the couples to test if their relationships are worth for marriage or not. This is called “Tailltean marriage” or trial marriages which lasted for  a year and a day. And since this is the first festival of the year, it has been practice to bring the first grain of harvest to the church as an offering.

Lammas is celebrated before harvest time, and traditionally honors the very first signs of autumn, which also focuses on the time of the year when the corns and grain—such as barley, whet and oat—ripen. One of the characters in the spotlight in this festival is the Green Man, which is more popular as the Corn or Wicker Man. He is to die in this festival, whose death, according to tradition, is necessary so that the next season will be reborn with good crops, and in good time for the Beltane.

The Legend of Wicker Men and Corn Dollies

As the year progressed,  bonfires flickering through the night are often held.  Merriment is encouraged, with games and dancing together with the harvest and some food offerings are in the main consideration of everyone. The Festival event includes activities such as races, games to show off skills, corn dollies making, and harvesting herbs. These practices are slightly just like the modern Renaissance Faires As this is the time when the Oak King is said to die to makes sure that the cycle repeats again, sacrifices were made may it be animals or crops. Sometimes a large wagon wheel will be burned and be brought down from a hilltop rolling. This is called the Catherine Wheel symbolizing the way St. Catherine died. A wicker man will also be burnt in the festivities, which is an ancient precursor to modern American festivals such as the Burning Man Festival in Black Rock, Nevada.

One other popular feature of the festival is the corn dollies. This traditional Irish icon is a doll made from braided straw or sheaves  and are made during this time of the year. The infant version of this doll is called “kern baby” , which makes use of the corn cobs. These dolls are made to resemble women and a strong representation of the Goddess of harvest. This is some sort of fertility tradition that is purported to ensure the continued productive and bountiful harves. The Corn Mother, are made from the last sheaves of the harvest. The Corn Mother will be reborn as the Corn Maiden and will be exhibited as Brighid the Bride for the holiday.