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Kevin Danaher The Year In Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs

€18.99

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Code 9781856350938

The book explores Ireland's seasonal festivals and customs from New Year through Christmas, such as St Brighid's cross-making, marriage divinations, and the unique celebration of Lunasa, offering a rich insight into Irish folk tradition.

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Description

Binding: Paperback

Date Published: 01 Jan 2026

First published in 1972 this volume describes how the round of the year, with its cycle of festivals and seasonal work, was observed in the Ireland of yesterday. We follow the rhythm of the year from New Year to Easter, May Day to Harvest and Christmas along the chain of high days and feast days, St Brighid's Day, The Borrowed Days, Midsummer, St Swithin's Day, Lúnasa, The Pattern Day, Samhain, Martinmas and Christmas, fishing boat - belief and usage - feasting and merrymaking. Picturesque customs are revealed - some forgotten, some forbidden, some still familiar, such as 'the making of St Brighid's cross - marriage divinations - watching the dancing of the sun on a hilltop on Easter morning - going to the Skelligs - cock-throwing - bullbaiting - herring processions - the swimming of the horses on Lunasa - and many others. A multi-coloured tapestry. Kevin Danaher has drawn on a wide variety of sources and on more than thirty years research into Irish folk tradition. He is the author of In Ireland Long Ago, Gentle Places and Simple Things, Irish Country People, Folktales of the Irish Countryside and The Pleasant Land of Ireland.

About the Author

Caoimhin O Danachair, also known as Kevin Danaher, was a renowned figure in Irish folklore and ethnology. Born in 1913 in Limerick, Ireland, he distinguished himself as an academic, earning his BA from University College Dublin (UCD) and further honing his expertise in folklore and ethnology in Germany as an Alexander von Humboldt Scholar. His service as a captain in the Irish Defence Forces during World War II added another layer to his multifaceted career. In his professional life, O Danachair made significant contributions to the Irish Folklore Commission, particularly in preserving Irish musical traditions and recording the last native speakers of Manx. His academic prowess was further evidenced by his influential role as a lecturer at UCD, where he inspired a generation of students. O Danachair was also a prolific author, with many of his important works on Irish folklore published by Mercier Press. His bibliography includes notable titles such as 'In Ireland Long Ago', 'Irish Customs and Beliefs', 'Irish Country People', 'Folktales from the Irish Countryside', 'The Pleasant Land of Ireland', 'The Year in Ireland', 'Foirgneamh na nDaoine: Ireland's Vernacular Architecture', 'A Bibliography of Irish Ethnology and Folk Tradition', 'That's How it Was', and 'The Children's Book of Irish Folktales'. These works are highly regarded for their in-depth exploration and vivid depiction of Irish traditions and folklore. They serve as academic resources and cultural treasures that preserve Ireland's rich heritage for posterity. His personal life was marked by his marriage to Anna Mary Ryan and his role as a father to two sons. O Danachair's death in 2002 was a significant loss to the academic and cultural spheres. However, his legacy continues through his contributions to the field of folklore and his efforts to keep Irish culture alive. His final resting place is in St Fintan's Cemetery, Sutton, Dublin, where he lies as a testament to a life dedicated to preserving and celebrating Irish cultural history.

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'This is a book written in 1972 on the Irish Calendar customs. It describes how the year, with its cycle of festivals and seasonal work, was observed in Ireland in the 19-20th centuries. The author draws on a wide variety of sources and on more than thirty years of research into Irish Folk traditions.The book gives the reader an idea of how the year was for many of the inhabitants of Ireland that still followed the old traditions. You get the sense of what each strata of the community was up too at which time of the year. The book starts on Saint Brighid's day and goes all the way to Christmas. It encompasses both Pagan and Christian days and gives the activities associated with the said day. It is a book that you can read in one go at first and then go back too at the appropriate time of year for inspiration.I really enjoyed reading the book because it gave me ideas on things that I could do on my own rituals and celebrations. It gives the sense of the ebb and flow of the year and how the seasons were related to each other and how one activity during a certain time can be related to another in another time. I think it is a must read book for anyone who is interested in following an Irish path of spirituality be it Christian or Pagan.' - The Celtic Scholar

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