Happy Summer Solstice! Today is the longest day of 2020 (I know, we have already had some pretty long days so far this year) and marks the year's turn. This is an important day in many cultures, particularly Europe, and has been celebrated in Ireland for centuries (1/5)

Fires were traditionally lit across the land to encourage the sun to shine on throughout the harvest. Young men would jump through the flames, aware of the tradition of leaping to encourage crops to grow high. Animals and crops were more susceptible to evil influences (2/5)

Cattle walked through the embers of the fires for protection and their backs were then singed with hazel sticks. To walk around the flames three times brought a year of no sickness and all present brought home sticks from the fire for luck in the home. (3/5)

Turf from the fire was carried 3 times round the home and the ashes were mixed with the following season's corn. These traditions have disappeared in some places, but perhaps this year we could all light even a small flame and hope for some luck in the year ahead. (4/5)

I learned most of this informations through the brilliant @duchas_ie and the classic 'Irish Folk Ways' by E. Estyn Evans. (5/5)