Bealtaine is known as a vivid, colourful, quarter day in Ireland's pagan calendar but what exactly were the customs and why does the 1st of May matter so much?
Celebrating nature, gathering and scattering flowers, and bidding farewell to the harsh winter are all part of the customs to take place between sunset on May's eve until midday on the 1st of May.
Éist le Beo ar Éigean ag caint faoi Lá Bealtaine ar RTÉ Radio One anseo
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The Night of Bealtaine, or May Eve, heralds the end of the dark season and the coming of summer. It has been celebrated for millenia by the lighting of fires and other rituals of protection. It also marks the time when the Tuatha Dé Danann, the ancient gods of Ireland, first arrived in Ireland, and many legends recount how the Good People mingle amongst the living on this night.
Blúiríní Béaloidis is a podcast created by the staff of The National Folklore Collection, housed in UCD. In this episode, Jonny and Claire bring us through the significance of this important 'quarter day' in Irish folklore.
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