Bealtaine blessings to all our readers, followers and subscribers! Bealtaine is the correct name for this 'fire festival', it is also the name of the month of May (as Gaeilge). There are some variants, used by non Irish speakers, but in truth they are generally a corruption of the Irish word. Bealtaine, in modern tradition is fixed as 1st May, but the old traditional date is variable.
There is the sidereal date, half-way between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice, usually falling around 5-6 May, but it varies from year to year. Some celebrate with the first flowers opening of the Maybush (hawthorn). Some begin to mark this time on May Eve (30th April) instead of or in addition to 1st May - so that offers us usually 3-4 date choices.
Traditionally there were 2 fires, between which the livestock were driven, and which people often also passed between, sometimes with their work tools with them, for ritual purification and blessing of all taking part. Today it is more common to have a single fire, but the old tradition does also persist. Uisneach is the literal centre of Ireland, and it is here that a major Bealtaine festival took place in ancient times. This has been revived since 2009 as a paid ticket music festival, which takes place on. 10th May this year. However, there are several Bealtaine events dotted around the country over the next week or so. Whatever you choose to do to celebrate we hope that you enjoy yourself and receive the blessings of this special time of year.
Here's an interesting short article on Bealtaine, one of hundred on the subject that you can find on-line: https://thedruidscauldron.net/2025/04/26/the-approach-of-bealtaine/
Photograph is courtesy of Monunmental Ireland https://monumentalireland.ie/