The Year in Ireland

First published in 1972 this volume describes how the round of the year, with its cycle of festivals and seasonal work, was observed in the Ireland of yesterday. We follow the rhythm of the year from New Year to Easter, May Day to Harvest and Christmas along the chain of high days and feast days, St Brighid’s Day, The Borrowed Days, Midsummer, St Swithin’s Day, Lúnasa, The Pattern Day, Samhain, Martinmas and Christmas, fishing boat – belief and usage – feasting and merrymaking. Picturesque customs are revealed – some forgotten, some forbidden, some still familiar, such as ‘the making of St Brighid’s cross – marriage divinations – watching the dancing of the sun on a hilltop on Easter morning – going to the Skelligs – cock-throwing – bullbaiting – herring processions – the swimming of the horses on Lunasa – and many others. A multi-coloured tapestry. Kevin Danaher has drawn on a wide variety of sources and on more than thirty years research into Irish folk tradition. He is the author of In Ireland Long Ago, Gentle Places and Simple Things, Irish Country People, Folktales of the Irish Countryside and The Pleasant Land of Ireland.