Lugnasadh (Lugnasad)

The word Lugnasadh or Lunasad is the Irish/Scots Gaelic for the month of August. It was one of the major festivals of the Celtic agricultural year and traditionally the festivities lasted from about 15 July to about 15 August.

As its name suggests, the Lugnasadh festival was connected to the god of light, Lúgh, who gave his name to several locations across the Celtic realm. The most famous was at Lugdunum - the 'fort of Lugh' - near Lyon in France where, in AD12, the Emperor Augustus established his own cult. The date he chose was, significantly, 1 August, to coincide with the height of the Gaulish Lugnasadh.

The festival, with attendant fair and sporting events, was believed to have been inaugurated by the god Lúgh himself in honour of his foster-mother Tailtu. Other sources claim that it was to celebrate one of the god's many marriages. The festival was widespread throughout Ireland and continued there in its original state, long after its demise elsewhere. In Ulster, it was celebrated at Eamhain Macha and the High King officiated at a grand festival for the whole of Ireland at Tara.

The feast was strongly associated with the coming harvest. When it had been collected, a portion was left outside for the gods or else baked into an offering cake for the fertility deities for favour the following year.

Gradually Christianity took over this festival, transforming it into 'the Loaf-Mass' or Lammas, a festival held later in the year, to God for the safe harvest. Churches were built where Lugnasadh dancing had taken place and T.C. Lethbridge in Witches: Investigating the Ancient Religion demonstrates that many parish churches dedicated to Saint Michael are on such sites.

The fairs and games continued, however. Tom Graves in Needles of Stone has pointed out that various Irish wake-games, played during a wake for the dead, come from this festival. Many of the fairs became horse fairs adn one of the most famous in Ireland continues - the Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, County Antrim.

From the Appletree Press title: The Complete guide to Celtic Mythology.

Also from Appletree:
A Little Book of Irish Myths.