Happy Lughnasa! (pronounced Loo-nah-sah)
And its my birthday!
Greetings everyone!
August is a very special time in the Irish calendar as it is the festival of Lughnasa. In Pagan Ireland, there were four main festivals, Imbolc in February, (Im-bulk) Bealtine in June, (beowl-tinna) Lughnasa in August and Samhain in October (sow-ann)
These festivals punctuated the year, as times for sowing and harvesting, they tracked the movements of the sun and the moon, as well as having a spiritual meaning. The now international celebration of Halloween for example, originates from the Irish Samhain when people believed that it was the time of year when the world of the dead and the world of the living were closest.
The reason for these festivals are explained extensively in our mythology and were always an occasion of gathering and celebrating together. I was reading an article recently about how gatherings have always been an integral part of our society, we work best in groups, and we celebrate life, whether it is the coming or the leaving of it. We live here in Ireland with all of the traditions and even structures of our pagan past, and so it has blended seamlessly into our lives. Our ancestors lived in close community, and family and friends were critical to survival, so we have not strayed too far from that belief.
In Ireland celebration is an inclusive thing, where all are welcome. Irish funerals for example, are attended usually by hundreds of people, it is just how it is done. There is a stereotype of the fighting and drinking Irish but that is simply untrue. It suited the agenda of certain political entities over the years to portray us as such, but it was based on racist ideology rather than reality. We are welcoming, and we love to celebrate, but at an Irish party you are far more likely to come away with a new song than a black eye.
Brian Friel’s wonderful play, later made into a film starring Meryl Streep, Dancing at Lughnasa is definitely worth a watch. It’s set in the 30s in Northern Ireland, a fabulous story.
Lugh, was the Pagan god, and the harvest gathered in the end of summer was offered to him in hopes for another good harvest the next year.
My birthday, is on the fourth of August and I will be fifty years old, so Lughnasa is my favourite festival. I’m looking forward to a celebration with my family, though Covid means no big party, and I’m just so grateful for all I have in my life. So many people never get to fifty, so it’s a great milestone. I became a grandmother two months ago, I have four smashing children, a lovely husband, a wonderful family and lots of great friends. I do a job I love and it provides for us well. And so it is with a happy heart I leave my forties behind forever and look forward to whatever life has in store for me next.
One of the greatest joys in my life is you, my readers, and your support and encouragement. On this occasion I must also thank all of the people who help me with my books, my editors Helen, Abby and Susan, my cover designer, Elena, and of course, my advance team.
There are two women however behind the scenes that never get a mention. Carol and Barbara. They are the engine that run this whole thing and get all the donkey work and none of the glory. To say I could not do it without them, is to understate the case and the fact that they are my sisters makes it even better.
The only trouble is business meetings tend to stray into hilarity and family stories but its a small price to pay for having these wonderful women by my side.
So, as I take a few days off writing and admin and everything else to celebrate being half a century old, I wish you all a happy Lughnasa, and wish Lugh watches over us all and makes sure next year’s harvest is a bit better than last years!
Le grá agus míle buiochas,
Jean xx