Lughnasa a.k.a. Lughnasadh (August 1)

[aiyanna]

Traditionally, August marked the beginning of the Harvest season and it was a time of great celebration in rural Ireland. The season began on the first of the month with the festival of Lughnasa, the Irish word for August. Since it was impractical to take farm folk away from their work during the week, it was generally celebrated on the first or second weekend.


Sam and I were married August 1, right at the beginning of Lughnasa, our wedding had a lot of Irish traditions woven in!

[Angaridatha]

Yes, this is also a wiccan tradition, Lughnasadh. Celebrated August 1, Lughnasadh is the simple feast.

Lughnasadh ritual:

Here's a short ritual modified so that we busy college students could celebrate it (next year, of course, since it's a bit late)

take a piece of fruit, truly savor it. recite mentally (with force) or verbally (preferred, but good luck managing it at cuifs):

"I partake of the first harvest, mixing its energies with mine, that I may continue my quest for the wisdom of perfection.
O Lady of the Moon and Lord of the Sun,
gracious ones before Whom the stars halt their energies,
I offer my thanks for the continuing fertility of the Earth.
May the nodding grain lose its seeds to be buried in the Mother's breast, ensuring rebirth in the warmth of the coming spring."

Eat the rest of the fruit and feel good about yourself.

[aiyanna]

Great, I can't wait until next year!!!!

[Geisel]

I have no idea how much truth is behind this, but I have heard from some that it can be celebrated either the day before or the day after as well. Anyone know?

[Saiok Tarek]

Often, holiday celebrations are shifted around a few days before or after the actual date.

Many holidays have special days right before and right afterwards as well, and depending on your tradition or path you may or may not celebrate those days.

[aiyanna]

Sometimes celebrations were held off until the whole community can participate...like in rural Ireland, the harvest celebrations were held the weekend after August 1.

[aiyanna]

The Story of Lugh

Lugh was one of the principal gods of the Celts, and was honored over vast areas they inhabited, particularly in the western half of Europe. He is known alternately as Lugh of the Long Arm, or the Master of all Arts, and in some territories as a sun god. One of the four major festivals of the Celtic year was named after Lugh--Lughnasa on August 1. Many European cities began as Celtic centers named after Lugh. Lyons in France was once called Lugdunom, or "Stronghold of Lugh." Carlisle in England was called Luguvallium, "Strong in the God Lugh." Similar is Lugo in northwest Spain, in the region of once Celtic Galicia. Added are early Celtic settlements in Laon and Loudon in France, Leiden in the central part of the Netherlands, and Legnica in Poland, all who honored Lugh in their original namesakes.

Lugh's name varies depending on the locality, e.g., Lug, and on the continent Lugus, and in Wales Lleu. Although he was venerated in mainland Europe, to get a sense of his self and stories, one must rely on the insular Celtic myths of Ireland and Wales. The short sketch below attempts that approach, though there are a multitude of varying stories about him.

To start at the beginning, Lugh was the son of Cian and Ethniu, Cian being a member of the Irish pantheon of gods (called the Tuatha Dé Danann) and Ethniu the daughter of a Fomor giant. Lugh grew to be fair and tall, with yellow hair. Opponents would be nearly blinded by the brilliance of his countenance. Lugh wore a green mantle with a silver brooch, and he owned three priceless possessions. First was his sling, with which he was very skilled in use, earning his nickname "the Long Armed" for his marksmanship in combat. Second was his five-pointed spear that nearly came alive in battle, "tearing through the ranks of the enemy, never tired of slaying." Lugh's third treasured possession was his hound, marvelous for a number of reasons, including its ability to turn whole spring-waters into wine upon taking a dog-bath.

When he first arrived to take his place among the Irish pantheon, the other gods doubted Lugh's veracity. He reported to them his abilities as a champion, a harper, carpenter, smith, poet, druid, physician, bronze-worker, and cupbearer. Not believing him they put Lugh to the test. A challenge was made with the best chess player among the gods. Lugh defeated him, inventing along the way a new move called "Lugh's enclosure." He then lifted and moved an enormous rock, showing superior physical strength. Finally the gods asked him to play the harp, which he did with great ability, performing the three magic strains of sleep, sadness, and merriment. What the gods and goddesses realized, and in time grew to know all the much more, was that Lugh really was "the Master of all Arts," and this nickname too became his over the centuries.

Lugh's arrival at Tara was propitious. The Celtic gods were preparing for war with the Fomor giants. Recognizing Lugh's masterful abilities, the Tuatha Dé Danann's king Nuada lent the throne of the gods to Lugh for thirteen days to plan for the campaign. Lugh called for a council of the gods and heard each of them explain how their skills could contribute in defeating the Fomors. The gods and goddesses agreed to give the generalship of the conflict to Lugh.

Everything was leading up to the famous Battle of Magh Tuiredh, fought in County Sligo, near where the Fomor giants lived. After individual duel combats, a large pitched battle broke out between the gods and the giants. At first the council of gods tried to hold Lugh out of the battle (guarding him with nine warriors), because he was deemed too valuable to risk. But Lugh escaped, and led on the charge. In the heat of battle, a particularly awful Fomor named Balor killed Nuada, the king of the gods. Lugh then shouted a challenge to Balor in vengeance. Balor had a baleful evil eye that was usually shut, but could kill anyone who saw it. Balor said to his Fomor attendant: "Lift up my eyelid that I may see this chatterer who talks to me."

When the eyelid was just half lifted, Lugh used his skills with the sling, and flung a magic stone into Balor's eye, killing him on the spot. The fortunes of the battle turned immediately to the gods' favor. The Fomors wavered, and the gods pinned down a victory, going on to rule Ireland for an era. Lugh himself became king of the Irish gods for a time after the death of Nuada, and later fathered the Celtic hero Cuchulainn.

The Welsh counterpart to Lugh is Lleu of the Dexterous Hand. He was the son of the goddess Arianrod, and reared by the god Gwydion. For a number of reasons, Arianrod denied Lleu a wife, so through magic Gwydion made him a woman made of blossoms. Her name became Blodeuwedd (Flower Face), and "she was the fairest and most graceful that man ever saw." Lleu and Blodeuwedd lived in a palace in Wales, and had many adventures.