bealtaine

The idea of night and day was central to everyday existence in Celtic culture. Bealtaine and Samhain were two of their most important holidays. Their year was split between a dark half and a light half, and the transition from one to the other was celebrated with festivities. Samhain is a term that is often translated to mean “summer’s end,” and it was certainly a festival that took place during the darker half of the year.

Even though the first day of summer does not arrive until June 1st with the summer solstice on June 21st, ancient Celts believed that the month of May, which they celebrated as Lá Bealtaine, marked the beginning of summer. And who wouldn’t welcome the arrival of summer a little bit earlier? Continue reading to learn more about this ancient Celtic festival and the rituals that are still practiced in Ireland to this very day.