Seers, Sages and Legends
Copyright 1995 Irish News
By Tina Day
"Beltane" roughly translates to "Bel's fire." Bel is the
Celtic god of light and fire, the life-giver, represented by the sun. Beltane
is the festival of fire and fertility, celebrated on May 1st. Although, as with
all Celtic festivals, it actually begins at sundown on the day before.
Beltane, or May Day, remains the most popular holiday in the British Isles
and parts of Europe despite continuing efforts to suppress it. It is called
"Bealtiunn" in Scotland, "Shenn da Boaldyn" in the Isle
of Man, and "Galan-Mai" in Wales and celebrates the waking of the
earth from her winter sleep. Shakespeare wrote of how in his time the festival
was so eagerly anticipated that no one could sleep upon its eve.
Traditionally, the hearth fire would be kept burning all year, since its lighting
on Samhain, until May Eve when the fire was extinguished. At this time, the
hearth and chimney would be thoroughly cleaned. The next dawn, a community bonfire
would be kindled. Cattle were driven through the fire to insure their health,
protection, and fertility. Young men and women would also jump through the flames
for luck in conceiving children or for luck in finding a spouse. This bonfire
was kept burning all day and night, and people would carry home torches from
the Beltane fire to rekindle their own hearth. The new flames would symbolize
a fresh start.
The fertility role of Beltane is represented primarily through plants and
flowers. Young women would stay out all night on May Eve collecting flowers
and making wreaths of May flowers for their hair. They would also gather hawthorn
and other greenery to decorate their houses and the village square. The young
men would search the woods for a tree to make the Maypole, then they would decorate
it with ribbons and greenery and raise it in the center of the village. They
would then climb the pole and crown it with a garland of flowers. As part of
the Beltane celebration, the young people of the village would dance around
the Maypole, weaving the ribbons up and down it.
A young, unmarried woman of the village was chosen to preside over the festival
as the May Queen. Often the Queen chose a consort from among the young men of
the village, or sometimes the young men would compete in a race or a mock combat
for the honor. The May King and Queen represent the Lord and Lady, as Beltane
is thought to be the celebration of the marriage of the Sun God and the Earth
Goddess.
Beltane is the first day of summer and begins the light half of the year,
as Samhain begins the Celtic year and begins winter, the dark half. It is a
celebration of youth, love and fun. The Maypole Dance, jumping through the Beltane
bonfire, and the May Day games all celebrate the God coming into his prime.
Significant events always happened at Beltaine It was at Beltane that PartholÛn
arrived as the leader of the first mythical invasion of Ireland. It was also
at Beltane that the DÈ Danaan arrived, and the Milesians invaded.