Máirt na hInide, or #ShroveTuesday marks the day before the beginning of Lent. In past times, the Lenten period meant a strict abstention from meat, milk products and eggs, as well as any other general revelry. Shrove Tuesday was the final day of indulgence and merriment.

In other parts of the world, the festival is one of communal celebration, as in the case of Mardi Gras, but in Ireland the feast remained a household celebration. Surplus eggs, milk and butter were used to make pancakes, hence Shrove Tuesday’s alter ego: #PancakeTuesday

Marriage divination was often practised as the pancakes were made, and the young people of the house were each given an opportunity to flip the pancake, beginning with the eldest girl. If the pancake is successfully flipped, she will have luck in marriage in the coming year.

Marriage divination at Shrove was topical, as Shrove Tuesday was also a popular day for weddings. The strict Lenten period was an inappropriate time for marriage, and so Shrovetide weddings were celebrated into the night with dancing, music and feasting.

The significance of weddings at Shrovetide also impacted on the single people in the community, and certain days in early Lent were spent harassing the unmarried by way of chalking, ashing or salting their clothing, or blowing horns and creating noisy music in their vicinity.

If the opportunity to marry at Shrove was lost, the only other option was to go to Sceilg Mhichíl, where Easter occurred a week later than on the mainland, according to traditions in South Munster. Thus, there was still time for a belated wedding, as the unmarried were reminded!

This custom also gave rise to the ‘Skellig Lists’, verses that listed the names of those who were unmarried and who would therefore be going to the Skelligs, like this version from Co. Kerry from the Schools’ Collection: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4742112/4737042/4936085