May Day in Ireland
When is May Day in Ireland?
May Day in Ireland is on May 5, 2025. It falls on Monday.
How many days until May Day in Ireland?
There are 163 Days left until May Day in Ireland.
Is May Day a public holiday in Ireland?
May Day (commonly known as Lá Bealtaine in Irish), also known as Labor Day, is a public holiday observed on the first Monday of May each year in Ireland. Its observance celebrates both the workers’ rights and the traditional Celtic festival (called Bealtaine). On this day, the Irish government offices, post offices, banking institutions, and schools are suspended. The same goes for many companies. Although there are still some businesses that stay open, e.g. pubs, stores, and shops, they may follow restricted schedules due to the holiday.
Ireland's May Day Origin
In Ireland, the celebration of May Day has its roots since the pagan times. It is a day celebrated with the feast of Beltane (Bealtaine). Beltane is a Gaelic May Day festival (fire festival) observed to welcome the coming of the summer season.
When did May Day Become a public holiday?
Although the country’s May Day has its origin in the ancient times, it was only in 1993 that this day was instituted to become an official public holiday. Following the Public Holiday Regulations 1993 Act, the Irish government has established the first Monday of May as the day to celebrate May Day.
May Day, the Workers Holiday
May Day for other countries, is also known as Workers’ Day or Labor Day, a day meant to celebrate all workers’ rights. At present, the Irish May Day covers both the traditional Celtic festival as well as the celebration for all Irish laborers and workers who have made contributions to the country.
May Day Traditions in Ireland
May Day in Ireland is a celebration involving various activities. Ireland is a country that is rich with unique customs and traditions, many of these traditions are often seen during their celebration of May Day.
Commemorating the Pagan Festival called “Lá Bealtaine”
It commemorates the festival known as “Lá Bealtaine”, one of the pagan festivals celebrated in the country. For the Irish people, May Day means a lot of things, and bonfires is one of them. Bonfires are observed along with some food, dancing, and music to celebrate the day. The Irish believe that the lighting of bonfires on May Day would ensure good luck to both the people and their livestock. This is the reason why every year, during the holiday, bonfires are typical in the country. Counties within Ireland host big bonfire celebrations which are visited by many Irish families.
The Maypole Dance
This is a traditional dance done during the holiday where the Irish dance around a maypole while holding at least one or more ribbons attached to it. A maypole is one of the most recognized symbols in Ireland that is associated with this holiday. It is a tall wooden pole erected in public that is around 3 to 5 m tall (maybe taller depending on the number of dancers) and is decorated with ribbons of varied colors. During the dance, the dancers will hold or tug these ribbons while forming a circle and dance around with it. Once the dance is over, these ribbons are tied to the pole in a decorative way, to make it fancy-looking. The Maypole Dance is participated mostly by the young population, including young children.
Scattering of Yellow Flowers
Another common practice observed by the Irish on this day is the scattering of yellow flowers (e.g. marigolds, buttercups, gorse, and primroses) outside of their homes. This was done since the Irish believed that these flowers would bring good luck, at the same time, it would also ward off witches and other evil forces away from their households. These witches or hags (commonly known as Cailleach in Irish) are said to be stealers of butter or milk (another symbol associated with May Day in Ireland) and are believed to be especially active on May Day. Thus, during the holiday, it has become part of the Irish traditions to have these yellow flowers placed either on the doorsteps, the windowsills, or anywhere outside of their homes to protect it from the mystical forces. The flowers used are oftentimes picked the day before the holiday’s celebration.
May Bush, a safeguard from fairies
The May Bush decoration is also a customary practice observed on May Day. The May Bush (a whitethorn/ hawthorn) are set up in many Irish households as a safeguard from fairies whom the Irish believed in the olden days as natural beings with supernatural powers. Similarly, these bushes also bring good luck to the owners of the house. Some of the decorations used for these bushes include the seashells, cloth streamers, colorful ribbons, and even the painted eggshells made during Easter, are recycled, and added as decorations too.
From Ancient Festivals to Labor Day Parades
Nowadays, May Day in Ireland covers two celebrations, the ancient Celtic festival and the celebration for all Irish workers and laborers. For the latter celebration, it is usually observed through several Labor Day parades which are organized by many cities in the country. These parades are mostly participated by labor-related organizations, trade unions, and other groups which aim to promote workers’ rights and social justice in Ireland. Others would also partake on the peaceful protests and rallies that are held on this day.
| Year | Date | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | May 05 | Monday | May Day |
| 2026 | May 04 | Monday | May Day |
| 2027 | May 03 | Monday | May Day |
| 2028 | May 01 | Monday | May Day |
| 2029 | May 07 | Monday | May Day |
| 2030 | May 06 | Monday | May Day |
| Holiday | Date |
|---|---|
| Christmas Day | December 25, 2024 |
| St. Stephen's Day | December 26, 2024 |
| Christmas Bank Holiday | December 27, 2024 |
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