The rain taps on the cottage roof as the Eve of Bealtaine draws in.
All the dry, warm weather is ended abruptly with heavy, rhythmic rain.
This Summer’s Eve will be freshened with Atlantic rain and the dry earth will release scents of green…yes, indeed, colour has a scent!
Bealtaine is the oldest festival in all of Europe and was historically celebrated on the Hill of Uisneach in County Westmeath.
This ancient ceremonial hill was, and remains, a sacred place and one of the most significant places of ancient ritual in all of Ireland.
This was the home of the Goddess Eriu…a place of High Kings and Tribes, a gathering place, where laws were passed and old allegiance re-newed!
Bealtaine“Beacon-fires lit upon its summit could be seen over a quarter of Ireland, and in most directions the hills upon the horizons could relay the message of the beacon as far as the sea-coast. The claim of Uisneach to be the centre of Ireland is thus quite justifiable, even though it may not be mathematically accurate.”[Macalister]
In Irish mythology, the beginning of the summer and the bright half of the year started with the Fire Festival at Bealtaine.
May Summer be long and joyful for you, with a great harvest all the way through.
[…] Originally posted on Bealtaine Cottage: […]
[…] Originally posted on Bealtaine Cottage: […]
Bright green blessings. Seeing this was the balm I needed today. I have a more pagan blog called Boomer Muse you might enjoy.
Welcome Layla XXX
Wonderful post about Beltaine… always love getting more history and and background.
Thanks Cnawan…Bealtaine is my favourite season and festival XXX
Reblogged this on Laura Bruno's Blog and commented:
Happy Bealtaine Eve from Beltaine Cottage … and me. Colette shares some lovely photos and history of Beltaine/Beltane. I’m excited to plant some of the lunaria seeds that arrived from Beltaine Cottage. A hint of Ireland in Goshen …
Tomorrow is also my 55th Birthday! When I was given a Grant of Arms/Territorial Designation as the (12th) Shaw of Easter Lair Glenshee, Scotland) by HM the Lord Lyon King of Arms for Scotland on 1, May 2002 – some folks were also reviving a fire ceremony at Uisneach Hill..the first time in a few hundred years. During that moment, they also kindly read off my name with an invocation.
Happy Birthday for tomorrow, William and I hope the invocation was a good one!
Blessings X
You might like this…from 2004.
http://www.theclanshaw.org/page15.html