DASG Blog

Mìosachan nan Gàidheal: An t-Earrach (Pàirt 3)

Welcome back! We shall have a look at holy days and Spring fayres in Scotland, Ireland and The Isle of Man, continuing from Mìosan nan Gàidheal: An t-Earrach (Part 2).

16/03 – St. Baldwin/St. Abban’s Fair.
This day is celebrated in the Isle of Man.

17/03 – Là Fhéill Pàdruig/Féill Pàraig/Laa’l Pharick/ Laa’l Pharick.
It is said that the days preceding St Partick's day are somwhat stormy; "A chlaisich làn sneachda, làn uisge, ’s tugha nan taighean.” ["The furrows full of snow, of rain, and the thatch of houses."]
We have written blogs about this special day in two parts, Part 1 agus Part 2. As we have written already we have more proverbs and sayings connected to the saint and with the weather around this time of year:

• “Laa’l Pherick arree, yn dow gys e staik as y dooiney ass e liabbee.” ["Patrick's spring feast-day, the ox to his stake, and the man from his bed."]
• “Chan eil luibh san talamh Nach eil fad cluas luch dhith mach Latha Fèill Pàraig." ["There is not a herb in the ground, But the length of a mouse's ear of its coming out on St. Partick's Day."] This proverb shows the growth of the flowers and the growth of the plants around the start of Spring by St Patrick's Day.
• “Reòthairt na Féill Moire, ’ boilich na Féill Pàraig.” ["The spring tides of Lady day And the mad tides of St Patrick's day."] The waves will be swolen around St Bridget's Day and The Assumption, this is clear in this proverb.
• “Marbhladh na Féill Pàraig”/“bog-mharbhlainn”/“tòcadh.” ["The deadening of St Patrick's day."] This proverb is said when the waves are calm around this time of year.
• “Rothart Mór na Féill Pàdruig.”

We have the two proverbs “Nuair bhios an t-each caol, bidh ’n fhaochag reamhar” ["When the Spring is lean the winkle will be fat"] and “Latha Feill Pàraig, Mùinidh bhàirneach air an fhaochaig” ["St Patrick's Day, the limpets will urinate on the winkle"], reminding me of the "Earrach Beag nam Faochag" ["Little Spring of the Winkles"] we had from Christmas day and St Bridget's Day. The two proverbs show the development of flavour and the abundance of shellfish from this day onwards.

There are many changes between St Bridget's Day and St Patrick's Day, and this is shown in this conversation here from Munterlooney in Tyrone:
"Gheall Bríd: 'Gach dárna lá go maith ó mo lá-sa amach.'
Dúirt Pádraic innsin: 'Gach a'n lá go maith ó mo lá-sa amach.'"
["Bridget promised: 'Every second day from my day out is good.'
Patrick said then: 'Every day from my day out is good.'"]
[You can find this passage in "Sgéalta Mhuintir Luinigh," by Éamonn Ó Tuathail.]

After this day “Seach gun leum an Fhèill Pàraig” ["Once Patrick's Festival has jumped"] is said.

19/03 – Fèill Naomh Iosaph [Saint Joseph's Day.]

They have the phrase “Ta’n Vayrnt chionney as yn nah bee fanney” [“March tightens and the next month skins”] in Man, and we have the two "Gaoth na Seicean" ["The wind of the hides"] agus "Màirteanan" ["The little March"], representing the weather that one expects to find from St Patrick's Day, continuing from the start of March.

"The Cailleach" comes to us, who is somewhat similar to the "an fheadag," "a' ghobag" and "an sguabag," from this time of year. The "Cailleach" is said to keep the grains below, without rising, by bashing them with a hammer, saying -

• “Buailidh i thall, buailidh bhos, Buailidh i eadar a dà chois.” ["She strikes here, she strikes there, She strikes between her legs."]

But because the Spring will come, despite her efforts, she will chuck the hammer in utter despair about the enterprise and the grass shan't grow where the hammer lies:

• "Thilg i e fon chraoibh chruaidh chuilinn, Air nach do chinn gas feur no fionnadh riamh.” ["She threw it under a hard holly tree Where grass or hair has never grown."]

20/03 - We will have the "Co-fhad-thràth an Earraich" ["Spring Solstice"] on the twentieth of March this year.

24/03 - "Am Màrt" ["The March"] comes to us on the twenty-fourth day of this month when seed is startin to be sown around this time.

• “Saothair a’ Mhàirt.” ["The busiest time of March."]
• “A’ ghaoth luath luimeineach Mhàirt.” ["The bare swift March wind."]
• “Am Màrt tioram blàth.” ["Dry genial March."]
• “An linge làn air chionn a’ Mhàirt, ’S tugha nan taighean an claisean nan iomairean.” ["The full pool awaiting March And house-thatch in the furrows of the ploughland."]
• “ged nach cuireadh tu dòirneag an aghaidh na gaoith tuath.” ["though you cannot send a pebble against the north wind."]
• “Is luaithe oidhche sa Mhàrt na dhà san fhogharadh.” ["A night in March is swifter than two in harvest."]

This is the advice that is given 'S e seo an coimhairle a bheireadh “Leig seachad a’ chiad Mhàrt ’S an dàrna Màrt mas fheudar e,
Ach olc air mhath gun d’thig an t-sìd’ Cuir do shìol san fhìor Mhàrt.” ["...."]

25/03 – Fèill Moire an t-Sanais/Laa’l Moirrey ny Sansh. [The Annunciation.] We shall have the Annunciation on the twenty-fifth day of March this year.

28/03-01/04 – Trì Laithean nan Òisgean/”Trì latha na bà ruaidhe/riabhaich.” ["The Three Hog Days."]
This day is celebrated in Scotland for the last two days of March and the first day of April, where it is said that it represents the days that the Israelites took, walking in the desert, to sacrifice the Paschal lamb. There is a phrase connected to the day that is of little sense but it interesting nonetheless: “Chaidh cuid an taobh sa’n chnoc.” ["Some went on this side of the hillock, some on that."]
"Trì latha na Bà Ruaidhe" ["Three days of the Red Cow"] is said as well for these days, the wind is so fierce that it would flay the hide from the cow, leaving it red or brindled ["Riabhach]! The phrase "Mìos na Bà Riabhaich" ["The month of the brindled cow,"] is said of the month of March because of the violent and turbulent weather expected in this month.

We shall continue with more fayres and holy days in April next month. Do you know any holy days or fayre that I haven't mentioned in this blog? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our own website!