At Home and Abroad

Lughnasadh (LOO-nahs-ah) is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated on August 1st, or between the summer solstice and autumn equinox, marking the arrival of the harvest season. One of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals — alongside Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Samhain — Lughnasadh is named after the Irish sun god Lugh, a warrior, king and skilled craftsman. Mythology suggests that the Festival began when Lugh held a Funeral Feast in honour of his foster-mother Tailtiu, an earth goddess who passed away after clearing Ireland’s fields for agriculture. In the middle ages, Lughnasadh was a time for community gatherings, with athletic contests (the Tailteann Games), feasting, music, dancing, horse racing and matchmaking. In recent centuries and in certain areas, it is a tradition to climb hills at sunrise on Lughnasadh and to host celebrations on hilltops. Today, Lughnasadh is celebrated as a cultural event, featuring Irish music, dance and crafts. It is a time to celebrate community, gratitude, abundance, and the transition between summer and autumn.