Spring festivals
Saint Patrick’s Day, the most important festival of the Irish is celebrated around March 17th every year to honor the saint that introduced Christianity in this pagan dominated isle. It is a day where the whole of Ireland comes out on the streets to participate in the colorful parades, and enjoy the foot tapping music and jive along with the masked dancers. People make a point to wear a shamrock that say as it was the symbol of the revered saint. There is also the tradition to have a drink of Patrick’s pot (whiskey) on that day. It is customary to attend the church in the day and have dinners comprising of corned beef and cabbage. This festival has pervaded all around the world with huge parades and musical events taking place around the globe.
Other festivals celebrated in the spring season are the Chalk Sunday, Easter and Mayday. Chalk Sunday is Celebrated on the first Sunday after Shrove Tuesday, where all unmarried men and women are marked with chalk by mischievous pranksters, much to the embarrassment of the former. Easter is celebrated to mark the joyous occasion of the resurrection of Lord Christ from the dead. In Ireland, It is customary for the people to cook, boil, roast eggs and eat it as they are considered a symbol of life And new birth. Children paint the eggs and play various games like Egg-hunt, egg-race etc. May Day is a folk festival which is celebrated by gathering of flowers and maypole dancing to honor the pagan god of “ lucky fires” or “two fires”.
Summer festivals
Midsummer’s eve is a traditional festival, whereby it is believed that fairies come to earth to steal mortal brides. It is followed by the celebration of the Midsummer’s day, which is a Celtic fire festival marking the shortening of days as the winter gradually approaches. Lughasa is another pagan festival, celebrated around 29th of September to mark the beginning of the harvest season.
Winter festivals