Lughnasadh

Lughnasadh is a Gaelic festival that marks the beginning of the harvest season. It is traditionally celebrated on or around August 1 and is also called Lughnasadh, from Old Irish Lugnasad, meaning the feast of Lugh. In modern Irish it is known as Lúnasa. The festival is one of the four major Gaelic seasonal observances, alongside Samhain, Imbolc, and Beltane, and sits between the summer solstice and autumn equinox.

Origins and myth are closely tied to the god Lugh. In Irish mythology, Lugh is said to have established a festival in honor of his foster father or foster mother Tailtiu, who died after clearing land for agriculture. The event is often linked to the Tailteann Games, a historic series of athletic contests and fairs. Lughnasadh is associated with the first fruits of the harvest and communal thanksgiving.

Observances historically included fairs and markets, athletic contests, music, dance, and feasting. Communities would share the season’s first fruits, bake special breads, and sometimes weave or fashion corn dolls as symbols of the grain goddess. In some regions the festival also involved matchmaking or divination practices.

In contemporary practice, Lughnasadh remains a cultural festival in Ireland and Scotland, with place names and regional celebrations reflecting its enduring heritage. The term Lammas is used in some Christian contexts for a harvest festival occurring around the same time. Among neopagan and Wiccan communities, Lughnasadh is observed as a grain harvest festival honoring Lugh, often featuring communal feasts, crafts, and rituals.