Historically on April 30, at sunset, bonfires would be lit across Ireland to usher in the start of summer. The world Bealtaine, also the Irish word for the month of May, means “bright fire.” It is the time to mark the beginning of summer: Animals would be put out to pasture; labourers would be hired for summer work; rent would be due to the landlords. Many of the practices at Bealtaine are tied to the land. Cattle, which had been sheltered throughout the winter were turned out into the fields where new grass had grown. It is also the time when turf would be cut. Bealtaine marks the changing of seasons. It is a time of new beginnings and moving out of the dark of winter into the light of summer.
This welcoming of summer was met with celebration: bonfires, dancing, food. It is one of the pagan traditions that has persisted despite the Church’s efforts to squelch it. May Day celebrations were protective and magical. Fresh cut flowers were one aspect of protection. The flowers might be gathered into posies, a small bouquet, to be hung over windows and doors, or scattered on doorsteps to ward off back luck, or the ill-will of the fairies. Typically, these early flowers are yellow, which likely has more to do with what is actually growing at that time. Between sunset on April 30 and sunrise on May 1 was a time of mischief-making for the fairies! The flowers gathered provided protection from their tricks and troublemaking. It is also said that any hares you see on the morning of May 1 are fairies in disguise, looking to steal your milk. Flowers would therefore also be tied to cows’ tails or around their necks. One could never be too careful in setting up protective wards against the fairies, especially at this liminal time and on liminal spaces.
Another tradition for is the May Tree, or May Bush. There are many traditions across Ireland with respect to the May Tree, but generally, a tree would be cut down and planted in front of a house, though sometimes a well-placed living tree would be used. Hawthorns, being the tree most associated with the fairies were a prominent choice. These were decorated with flowers, ribbons, egg shells saved from Easter, streamers, and other bright scraps of fabric. People would revel and dance around these trees.
In his book The Year in Ireland, Kevin Danaher provides a description from May Day in Tralee, North Kerry, dating to roughly 1785: “The scene opened with a dance on a large scale, to the music of several pipers and fiddlers. Foot races, by men, for hats, from the platform to Caherane followed, in what must be considered a most ludicrous mode. Bags or sacks were fastened around the necks of the competitors, and in that way they were to proceed. Of course they could only jump or hop, and were on the ground as often as they missed a step, but were always put in their legs again by the spectators.”[1] Through food, games, and dancing, the people reveled their way into May.
There is also the tradition of the May Boys who would process through the towns, dressed in disguises, wearing white or colourful clothes and masks. They would carry a branch from the May Tree. They would stop at houses as they went, singing, dancing, and playing music for the residents, hoping to fill their money box, all of which would be shared among them at the end of the day.
It is possible to see the interweaving of fears amidst hope through these celebrations. The relief to come back to the growing season and knowing that food needs would be met is clear. These celebrations remind us that it is in community that we survive and thrive. The work ad the celebrations were done together as they make merry and acknowledge the return of the growing season.
Summer in Canada hasn’t quite started as we are only now starting to see the greening of trees and blooming of spring flowers (at least in Southern Ontario), but if you’ve got summer in mind, consider one of these 6-week classes at Kaleidoscope Studio:
6:30pm Tuesday: Maggie Pickens – This class is suitable for beginners to advanced dancers. You’ll learn the rhythms and footwork of this dancing tradition from Donegal.
7:30pm Tuesday: Sean-nós Reels – Known for its grounded, rhythmic footwork and playful improvisation, sean-nós dance is an expressive and accessible style. You’ll foundational steps, breaking them down into easy-to-learn patterns that build confidence.
6:30pm Wednesday: North Kerry Blackbird – a classic set dance taught in the distinctive Munnix tradition. A perfect class for dancers with some experience who want to try something different.
Register through the Studio’s online portal.
[1] Kevin Danaher, A Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs (Cork: Mercier Press, 1972), 99.