The National Museum Needs Your Help

The National Museum of Ireland, Country Life in Castlebar, here in our own county Mayo is undertaking a collaborative heritage project with the Linenhall Arts Centre, of Castlebar.

“May On Our Doorstep” is a celebration of traditional May Day Customs in Ireland.

‘As in much of northern Europe, and indeed southern Europe also including Italy, May Day was a celebration and welcome of the summer.

In Ireland and Bealtaine

Here, it is rooted in the pre-Christian festival of Bealtaine. Bealtaine embraces the summer, bidding farewell to the dark winter half of the year. Flowers, dancing, and bonfires featured strongly in the festivities. People also sought protection for themselves, their homes and livestock against supernatural forces…Traditions associated with May include May Bushes, May Flowers, May Boughs, May Poles and May Bonfires. All are associated with luck and protection.’ (Clodagh Doyle, Curator Irish Folklife Division)

Invitation by the Museum

We are inviting people to share their memories of May Days Past and to contribute to a national survey which aims to find out how and where people are still ‘welcoming the summer’ in the 21st century. To participate, and for more information about this project visit http://www.ouririshheritage.org/ and follow the link to ‘Welcoming the summer’ May Customs.

May Days Past

We are interested in collecting personal stories about May Eve and May Day in years gone by. Recollections of older people in the community can greatly contribute to the Museum’s knowledge in this area. Examples of customs include: May Altars, flowers left on the doorstep, flowers or branches hung above the threshold of house and byre, May Eve bonfires, May Poles, Queens and Parades.

Photographs etc

We are particularly keen to uncover photographs depicting May celebrations and customs as these are relatively rare. Alternatively, a photograph of the person recollecting May would be welcome.

Do you have any memories of May Day?

Memories can be submitted via our online form; scanned or digital photographs can be emailed to ouririshheritage@gmail.com or to: myhistoricalballinrobe.com

‘Welcoming the summer’

An Ireland-wide survey of 21st century May customs

A series of heart-warming images capturing the tradition of leaving flowers on the doorstep were taken in a number of Co. Mayo towns on May Day 2011.

This led to the idea of conducting a survey to find out just how widespread the practice of celebrating ‘the coming of summer’ is in modern, technological Ireland. Photographs and information documenting what is happening and where this May, can be added to the survey via http://www.ouririshheritage.org/

Schools

We would also love to get schools, their teachers and pupils involved.

Students could record the May Day memories of their parents, grandparents and neighbours and submit them online or, if your school decorates a May Altar, why not add this to the survey?

Do hope you can participate in some way and remember

“Capture it before it disappears forever”