Conference tallis::celt

31.0. "Celtic year" by VLNVAX::MDLYONS (Michael D. Lyons DTN 297-5911) Wed Apr 09 1986 20:17

     This comes from the Celtic Calendar which I mentioned in 26.0,
and is taken verbatim.  ...well almost..

     It won't come out correctly unless you have a VT200 series
terminal running in VT200 mode because I put compose character
sequences in to get the slender vowel "'" in the appropriate places...
and you have to type "Extract TT:" to notes when you see "84 more
lines"



     The ancient Celtic year was divided into four cycles.  The
beginning of each quarter of the year was inaugurated on the eve of
the holiday by a great religious festival which commemorated a cult
legend.  Each festival was accompanied by feasting and merrymaking,
fairs and marketing, games and sport, and solemn religious
observances.  With the introduction of Christianity into the Celtic
world, many well-established pagan practices were transformed into
Christian observances, as in the case of Imbolc and Samhain
especially.


     SAMHAIN - 31 October/1 November - the beginning of the Celtic
year, and the end of the pastoral year.  This most important of all
Celtic holodays marked the time of the year when barriers between man
and the supernatural were lowered, when the Otherworld became visible
to mankind, and when all the forces of the supernatural were let loose
upon the world.  It was a time of great danger and spiritual
vulnerability.  This ancient Celtic feast has survived into modern
times as the holiday of Hallowe'en, which in earlier Christian
tradition was observed as the eve of November 1, All Soul's Day (now
observed in Christian practice on November 2).


     IMBOLC (or O�MELG) - 1 February - the feast of the goddess Brigit
(Brigantia), one of the more universal of the Celtic deities.  Brigit
was the ancient goddess of poetry.  This holiday was traditionally
associated with the coming into milk of the ewes.


     BELTAINE (BELTINE or CETSHAMAIN) - 1 May - a springtime festival
of optimism, it was probably connected with the worship of the ancient
god Belenos, another of the more universal Celtic deities.  The power
and influence of this early pastoral god would account for the
popularity and duration of this festival, which is still observed
vestigially in parts of the Scottish Highlands, at the least.
Fertility ritual was important, perhaps associating in part with the
waxing power of the sun, which was symbolized by the lighting of fires
through which livestock were driven and around which people danced in
a sunwise direction.  Fertility was promoted through magical rites
practiced to encourage the growth of cattle and crops.

     L�GHNASADH (L�NASA) - 1 August - the feast of the powerful god
Lugh (Lleu or Lugus), it was an agrarian feast associated with the
harvesting of the crops.  In Ireland, it was sometimes called Bron
Trogain (Trogain's Sorrow), which may have been an older name.  One
theory on the origin of the holiday is that it was established by the
god Lugh to honor his foster-mother Tailtiu, who died on this day, The
feast traditionally lasted for a month, 15 days before 1 August and 15
days after.  Another theory states that Lugh founded the Feast of
Tailte in order to commemorate his two wives Nas and Bui.



MONTHS OF THE YEAR  IRISH            SCOTTISH       MANX
NOVEMBER            Samhain          an t-Samhainn  Mee Houney
DECEMBER            Nollaig          an D�dlachd    Mee Ny Nollick
JANUARY             Ean�ir           an Faoilteach  Jerry Gheuree
FEBRUARY            Feabhra          an Gearran     Toshiaght Arree
MARCH               An Marta         an M�rt        Mayrnt
APRIL               An t-Aibre�n     an Giblean     Averil
MAY                 An Bhealtaine    AnCeitean      Boaldyn
JUNE                An Meitheamh     an t-�g-mhios  Mean Souree
JULY                l�il             an-t-l�char    Jerrey Souree
AUGUST              L�nasa           an-L�nasdal    Luanistyn
SEPTEMBER           Me�n Fhomhair    an-t-Sultainn  Mean Fouyir
OCTOBER             Deireadh Fomhair an Damhar      Jerrey Fouyir


MONTHS OF THE YEAR  WELSH            CORNISH        BRETON
NOVEMBER            Tachwedd         Du             Miz Du
DECEMBER            Rhagfyr          Kevardhu       Kerdu
JANUARY             Ionawr           Genver         Genver
FEBRUARY            Chwefror         Whevrer        Chwevrer
MARCH               Mawrth           Merth          Meurzh
APRIL               Ebrill           Ebrel          Ebrel
MAY                 Mai              Me             Mae
JUNE                Mehefin          Metheven       Mezheven
JULY                Gorffennaf       Gortheren      Gouere
AUGUST              Awst             Est            Eost
SEPTEMBER           Medi             Gwyngala       Gwengolo
OCTOBER             Hydref           Hedra          Here