Image via Maria's Art and Photographs.
Tonight is bonfire night! What a beautiful evening it is for it too. If anyone’s confused and thinks I’m getting my dates mixed up then I just want to point out that we have our own one in this wee corner of the world. I’m not sure if it’s just a Donegal thing or if it’s practiced all over the country, but what I do know is that I have many happy childhood memories of this night in years long past. As I recall, there was always tough competition to see which part of the town would have the biggest and best blaze, and there was always a lamppost that caught alight. And, of course, everybody always stayed out far later than they were supposed to. *sigh* I’m feeling old these days.
Anyway, unlike the other bonfire nights ours doesn’t involve the symbolic burning of some reviled historical character. It dates back thousands of years and started off as a way of honouring the goddess Áine. Known today as St John’s Eve, it’s just one more of those pagan customs that survived by being soaked up into the sponge of Christian culture. At least I hope it’s survived, I’m not sure if kids still do it. You know the way it is these days, health and safety and all that malarkey. It’s probably illegal. Actually, it was probably illegal back when we used to do it. I haven’t been out this evening and I can’t see any fires from my window but I did hear a few fire engines earlier so that’s encouraging (sort of). Plus, I remember reading a few years ago that the celebrations have been given a new lease of life by Polish immigrants who have a similar custom to us here. I hope so because it would be such a shame for such an old tradition to die out.
Anyway, unlike the other bonfire nights ours doesn’t involve the symbolic burning of some reviled historical character. It dates back thousands of years and started off as a way of honouring the goddess Áine. Known today as St John’s Eve, it’s just one more of those pagan customs that survived by being soaked up into the sponge of Christian culture. At least I hope it’s survived, I’m not sure if kids still do it. You know the way it is these days, health and safety and all that malarkey. It’s probably illegal. Actually, it was probably illegal back when we used to do it. I haven’t been out this evening and I can’t see any fires from my window but I did hear a few fire engines earlier so that’s encouraging (sort of). Plus, I remember reading a few years ago that the celebrations have been given a new lease of life by Polish immigrants who have a similar custom to us here. I hope so because it would be such a shame for such an old tradition to die out.
