Imagine the secrets the trees are keeping
In search of Etsy sellers!
If you have a pagan/witchy/nature themed Etsy shop, please drop the link on this post! I'm a seller too and I'm so tired of trying to vet every shop to see if they're a dropshipper or a real human creating things, and I know the real humans have been so buried and suffering lately. Please drop your link, and I'll give you a follow! I want to make some orders in the next few months.
Here's mine: TheDruidsForest
Nov 13. Héron cendré (ardea cinerea). Canal du Midi, Toulouse, France.
My brother gifted me his old PS2 so of course I put on Sims 2 Pets for the first time since middle school. I made both my boyfriend & I and it was his first time ever playing sims, here are some quotes:
"$6,000 to build a house? Easiest thing I've ever done" "This house is an oppressive hellscape with no windows and concrete walls" "WHY did I pee and go directly to the fridge without washing my hands?!" "I can't, I'm too busy HOLDING A PLATE THAT I CAN'T PUT DOWN" "Aw, look, our dog is digging a hole! Isn't she cute?" "Why does your dog have mold on her fur?"
Lughnasadh in the Modern Day
The ancient festival of Lúnasa is one of the 4 celtic fire festivals celebrated on the turn of the seasons. The other 3 festivals all have very clear christian reinterpretations. Those being All Hallows Eve, St Brigids day and May day. However Lúnasa also has a number of modern day christian holidays associated with it in much the same way.
(Linked sources in brackets)
Names
The modern festival goes by many names: Domnach Lúnasa, Lá Lúnasa, Domnach Crom Dubh, Bilberry Sunday and most commonly as either Reek Sunday or Garland Sunday. (1)(2)
Hill Climbing & Holy Wells
This is a day where the mountain of Croagh Patrick is visited, the pilgrimage consists of climbing the mountain while taking stops at certain stone cairns, where one walks in circles around them a set number of times while reciting specific prayers. There are 3 major sections where this is done(3). This is still observed today(4). It is celebrated on the last Sunday of July.
(Croagh Patrick)
This, while observed throughout the country, is not the only such celebration. Many towns climb their respective hills on this day such as those around Keash Hill in Sligo(2)(5)(11), Slive Donard in Down(6), and Máméan in Galway (7). Holy wells are also visited on this day such as in Cappagh, Galway(8), Ballyfa, Galway(9) and Ballyhaunis, Mayo (12). In some cases a procession from the Holy Well to the hill takes place (2)(7)(11)
(Máméan)
An interesting example of this was the Tullaghan Hill holy well in county Sligo, where the Holy Well was on a hill specifically the Ox mountains. This specific well used to be visited on Garland Sunday but is no longer as the festival that followed this visit evoked too much "secular fun" (10).
Festivals
Fairs and celebrations seem to be a core feature of this Lúnasa Tradition, with the aforementioned Tullaghan Hill fair, The Old Fair Day in Tubbercurry, county Sligo (13) and Fair Day in Kenmare, Kerry(14). These are usually celebrated in the second week on August, i.e. a week or two after the religious excursion.
The Puck Fair is festival in Killorglin, county Kerry. It is celebrated in the second week of August and involves crowning a specific goat "king" and parading them around while a large fair takes place(15).
(Puck Fair)
Pagan Connection
The pagan connection is quite clear to see, with Holy wells long being sites of pre-Christian worship, it is little coincidence that they are visited around the time of Lúnasa. The climbing of a hill is not connected to mythological lore but seems to be widely practiced. The fact that Keash Hil (Corran) and Croagh Patrick are both home to ancient megalithic cairns, which are commonly connected with the Otherworld is an interesting point.
Lúnasa being an Aonach, a funeral festival for the foster mother of Lugh, Tailtiu does tie directly into the occurrence of festivals around this time.
Practices to Adopt
It seems clear now that visiting watery sites such as wells and climbing hills to worship, as well as large scale festivals and merriment are a key part of how Lúnasa has continued to be celebrated and should be incorporated into a modern Irish pagan practice.