Bealtaine: Between Two Fires | A May Writing Prompt
“The blessèd stretch and ease of it –
heart’s ease. The hills blue. All the flowering weeds
bursting open.”
Image: Sergey Shmidt for Unsplash
Here in Ireland, the first day of May is celebrated as the Gaelic festival of Bealtaine (pronounced Bay-alt-en-ah), one of the four quarter-cross days and traditional fire festivals of the Celtic calendar, heralding the beginning of a new season, along with Imbolc (1 Feb), Lughnasadh (1 Aug) and Samhain (1 Nov).
Lá Bealtaine marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, and its name is most likely derived from the Proto-Celtic meaning ‘bright fire’. Beltane festivals were traditionally observed in Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man, and have parallels with the Welsh spring celebration of Calan Mai. This connection is echoed in the older Irish name of Céadamhain, meaning ‘first of summer’.
The celebration of Bealtaine is thought to have originated as a pagan rite in the Ancient Celtic religion, to greet the new season and bless livestock before pastoral farmers drove their animals out to graze for the summer. It is thought the bonfire represented the sun, and was intended both to nurture everything that are under it, and to destroy illness and harm.
All fires in the vicinity were put out and a sacred bonfire called a ‘need-fire’ was kindled from friction, accompanied by incantations - a custom from European folklore, believed to protect against blight, disease and witchcraft. When lit, the cattle were led around, between and sometimes over the flames, and the people followed suit, leaping across the bonfire for good luck.
Food was cooked on the bonfire and communities held a feast, with some being left at the fairy trees as offerings to the Aos sí (Tuatha Dé Danaan). As dairy produce was so important to rural life, other protections included spilling milk on the doorstep, placing coal under the churn to make sure fairies did not steal the butter, or bringing the herd to a fairy fort to ask for their blessings.
All the domestic fires were then re-lit using the flame of the Bealtaine bonfire. The doors, windows and byres were decorated in bright yellow flowers - primrose, rowan, hawthorn, hazel and marsh marigold - and in some areas of Ireland, people would decorate a thorn bush with flowers, ribbons, shells and candles made from the pith of a rush, to create the May Bush. Women were also encouraged to wash their face in the dew of a Bealtaine dawn to maintain their youth and beauty!
Today’s prompt invites you to explore any of the ideas, practices or rituals associated with Bealtaine, May Day or the start of summer. What does this time of year mean to you? Do you have any May rituals? Any natural beauty tips? Do you have personal experience of farming or the pastoral life? What seasonal fruit, vegetables or produce due you enjoy at this time of year? What seeds have you planted that you hope will bear fruit in 2024?
Inspiration
Today's inspiration comes from Kerry Hardie celebrating the abundance of a new season in ‘May'.
Also a beautiful day-in-the-life snapshot of the turn of the season in Dublin, in Macdara Woods’ ‘Days of May 1985’.
And a walk into nature from Ireland’s most famous poet, here’s Seamus Heaney’s ‘May’.
Musical Interlude
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What I’m Reading:
Hagstone by Sinead Gleeson
Poems 1962-2020 by Louise Glück
The Conscious Creative by Kelly Small
