Bealtaine (or May Day) is coming up at the end of this month, so we’d love to see you fully prepared for this very important Fire Festival in the Irish Tradition.
Note: In Ireland, Bealtaine is the name for the month of May in our Irish language and living cultural traditions, while Beltane is the anglicised version that is commonly used in contemporary Paganism. We do prefer, generally, that people respect our history and heritage by using the word Bealtaine… see videos below for pronunciation!
Go raibh maith agat
We have a lot of content available across our various channels, so here is a handy collection of resources (free and paid) to prepare you for this Pagan Holiday.
BEALTAINE RESOURCES ON THIS BLOG
- Irish Pagan Holidays (overview) – https://loraobrien.ie/irish-pagan-holidays/
- Irish Bealtaine Traditions – https://loraobrien.ie/irish-bealtaine-traditions/
- Bealtaine – May Eve Magic in Ireland – https://loraobrien.ie/may-magic/
- Bealtaine Traditions in Irish Folklore – https://loraobrien.ie/beltane-bealtaine-traditions-in-irish-folklore/
BEALTAINE RESOURCES ON MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL
- Bealtaine in Irish Folklore & Society – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gqdGGjsV608
- Bealtaine in Ireland – Contracts & Agreements – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGTLQ0yY3sU
ONLINE CLASSES FOR BEALTAINE AT THE IRISH PAGAN SCHOOL
Bealtaine in Ireland, with Lora O’Brien:
— The name, meanings and pronunciations – with a native Irish speaker.
— Irish history and traditions of the festival.
— The most important elements or themes of this festival.
— The biggest mistakes people make, so you don’t have to.
— Irish Gods or Goddesses associated with this festival.
— Some obstacles we face as modern Pagans working with ancient traditions/ working outside Irish culture.
— Shared native experiences and opinions.
— Practical exercises, prompts, challenges.
— A short Q&A session during the live online class.
Learn More – https://irishpaganschool.com/p/bealtaine
Bealtaine Ritual & Practice, with Orlagh Costello:
— What Irish God and/or Goddess is associated with Bealtaine, and why?
— What Irish folk practices & traditions were/are known to be practised at Bealtaine?
— A simple ritual framework to build relationship with these deities, incorporating the authentic associations & practices.
— How to take this ritual & respectfully personalise it to suit your own practice.
Learn More – https://irishpaganschool.com/p/ritual-bealtaine
Hope this is useful for ye!
We will also have a Bealtaine Video up shortly on the Irish Pagan School YouTube Channel – Click Here to Subscribe for Fresh Content.