Because the book was published in the mid-20th century and reprinted later, it may still be protected under copyright laws depending on your jurisdiction. Legitimate digital access is usually managed through academic institutions or authorized publishers.
Published by the Irish Folklore Commission and Oxford University Press, is a work of staggering scope and meticulous detail.
Ceremonial cutting and eating of the first grain harvest, often accompanied by burying a portion as an offering. the festival of lughnasa maire macneill pdf
Máire MacNeill's The Festival of Lughnasa is more than just a historical account; it is an invaluable testament to the enduring nature of Irish folk tradition. It captures the essence of a time when the community gathered to thank the gods for the harvest and look forward to the coming autumn. Did you know?
The primary source material that MacNeill used is largely preserved by the National Folklore Collection at UCD. Much of this raw material, including the Schools’ Collection, is now fully digitized and searchable on Dúchas.ie , offering a free way to read the original testimonies MacNeill synthesized. Because the book was published in the mid-20th
In the folklore recovered by MacNeill, the story begins with , a chthonic deity often associated with the earth and the protection of the harvest.
Enter Máire MacNeill. A student of the famous Irish Folklore Commission and later a founding member of the Irish Folklore Institute, MacNeill recognized that the disparate strands of this festival were at risk of being lost. Her work was motivated by a desire to assemble a "panoramic view" of the tradition before it vanished entirely. Ceremonial cutting and eating of the first grain
, the turn of August was never just about the harvest—it was about a ancient struggle for survival.