As winter loosened its grip on the countryside, the days began to grow slowly longer and the first stirrings of spring were observed. The sun began to rise higher in the sky and birds, which had migrated over the winter months, returned to the land. The ground that had been hard and cold became more pliable and ready for planting. Ewes became heavy with lamb and their lactation increased. The agricultural Celts celebrated the coming of the New Season with a great festival that reflected the returning vitality and fertility in the land.

They called it Imbolc, which means 'in the belly' and stressed both the renewal and rebirth of the land. This festival was held around the 1 February, as the lengthening of daylight became noticeable, and was closely associated with the Celtic fertility goddess Brigit - a mother-goddess and protector of women in childbirth. At this time, in certain parts of the Celtic world, the first-born of the year was sacrificed to dark gods (for example, the Crom Cruach). Their blood was allowed to flow into the ground to restore it and to ensure ample crops for the coming year. Great fires were lit to add extra strength to the sun so that it could support the harvests across the coming months. Nothing would be thrown out of a Celtic household until after the feast of Imbolc for fear of losing 'the luck' for the rest of the year. This was a common superstition in Ireland until within living memory.