Today starts the grandest summer celebration of the Celts – Lughnasdah.  In ancient times, it was a harvest celebration, when the crops were brought in and marriages made and formed for one year . [ref.1]  You could try out your bride or husband, and if things didn’t work out, one year later – you were free to go. [now days, this is called a celebrity marriage – hmm. Has there been a reality TV show about this yet?]

This celebration had food, drink, wine, and most importantly, song.

It took place in Wales and in Ireland.  The myth that it is based on is the one about the big time Irish God Lug [ref 2].  His foster mother, the great fairy Tailtiu, cleared a forest so the people could farm.  It was so exhausting that she passed away.  Her last wish was that people of Ireland have feasting and games, a sort of “wake” to celebrate her last gift to them.

Eventually, when the Christians moved to Ireland they adopted the pagan holiday and changed the name to “Lammas” meaning “Loaf-Mass”  

Robert Burns wrote a great poem about the harvesting of John Barlycorn, a representation of the harvest of August crops. [ref.3]

[ref. 2] www.celticspirit.org/lughnasadh.htm

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lughnasadh

[ref. 1] http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/lammas.htm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/paganism/festivals/lughnasadh.shtml

[ref. 3] http://www.bartleby.com/6/26.html

http://www.irishcultureandcustoms.com/2Kitch/rLughnasa.html

http://www.mythinglinks.org/Lammas.html