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1st day of spring?

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  • 01-02-2011 10:35am
    #1
    BenEadir
    Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭


    This has probably been done to death a thousand times before but can you guys settle a debate I have with a family member. I say the first day of Spring is Feb 1st but she says the 1st day of Spring is March 1st.

    Which is it?

    Ben


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    #2
    Plazaman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,012 ✭✭✭Plazaman


    Today is the first day of Spring (Feb/Mar/Apr) but I think in Ireland we're on our own in this as I remember something from my youth about us not observing Equinoxes (being madly Christian so we're not going near them Pagan lads rituals). So as far I as know the UK and Europe start spring on 1st March.


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    #3
    foreignobserver
    Registered Users Posts: 51 ✭✭foreignobserver


    In the Irish tradition St Brigid’s Day (today) is the first day of spring - almost 2 months ahead of the rest of Europe.


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    #4
    hondasam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    he Irish calendar is a pre-Christian Celtic system of timekeeping used during Ireland's Gaelic era to define the beginning and length of the day, the week, the month, the seasons, quarter days, and festivals.

    The Irish calendar does not observe the astronomical seasons that begin in the Northern Hemisphere on the equinoxes and solstices, or the meteorological seasons that begin on March 1, June 1, September 1, and December. Rather, the middle of the seasons in the Irish calendar fall around the solstices and equinoxes.

    As a result, for example, midsummer falls on the summer solstice. The beginning the seasons is roughly the halfway points between solstice and equinox:


    Spring - February, March, April.
    Summer - May, June, July.
    Autumn - August, September, October.
    Winter - November, December, January.


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    #5
    BenEadir
    Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    Hondasam,

    What a well articulated and comprehensive answer. Kudos to you my friend!!

    Ben


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    #6
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,976 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    That is from Wikipedia which says it needs additional citations for verification.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_calendar


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    #7
    hondasam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    BenEadir wrote: »
    Hondasam,

    What a well articulated and comprehensive answer. Kudos to you my friend!!

    Ben

    Hi Ben

    I'm afraid I just copied and pasted but I made the effort to find the info.


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    #8
    dxhound2005
    Registered Users Posts: 20,976 ✭✭✭✭dxhound2005


    I wasn't having a go hondasam. I don't think we can settle the debate in favour of Ben since he didn't say if the question is just about Ireland.


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    #9
    hondasam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 34,418 ✭✭✭✭hondasam


    dxhound2005 wrote: »
    I wasn't having a go hondasam. I don't think we can settle the debate in favour of Ben since he didn't say if the question is just about Ireland.

    That's ok no offence taken :)


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    #10
    BenEadir
    Registered Users Posts: 4,539 ✭✭✭BenEadir


    Well yes I was I suppose asking about Ireland but from an ignorant perspective i.e. I didn't realise Ireland had different seasons to the UK and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere!!

    Thanks for the effort lads, much appreciated.

    Ben


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