Bonfire night

Itssoeasy

Twas brought up on ray foley today and apparently Mayo is a hotbed for it on the 23rd of June. Dublin Louth and Tipperary it appears fo not be a big thing. So which counties is it big in and when isn't it ?

Tis big in cork.

OutlawPete

I'm in the future.

policarp

Halloween is it not?

FatherLen

the leprechaun told me to burn things.

i havent seen a bonfire in dublin other than on halloween.






1000th

conlufc

ye bonefires night is a great night in mayo..even better when you've just finished your leavin:D

mikemac

I'd never even heard of this

A quick wiki check

St John's Eve (or Oiche Fheile Eoin) is celebrated in many parts of Ireland with the lighting of bonfires.
This ancient custom has its roots in pre-Christian Irish society when the Celts honored the Goddess Áine, the Celtic equivalent of Venus and Aphrodite. She was the Goddess Queen of Munster and Christianised rituals in her honour (as Naomh Áine) took place until the nineteenth century on Knockainy, (Cnoc Áine – the Hill of Áine) in County Limerick.

During the festival, people would say prayers, asking for God's blessing upon their crops. They would also take ashes from the fire, and spread them over their land as a blessing for protection for their crops. It was also common to have music, singing, dancing, and games during the festival. The fire was used for destroying small objects of piety (rosary beads, statues, etc.) without disrespecting God. It was also common for people to jump through the flames of the bonfire for good luck.

Sounds religious, the heathens on boards won't have anything to do with it

Are you doing the last part conlufc?

starbelgrade

Ray Foley - proving how pointless radio shows can be, every Monday to Friday 12 - 2.30pm.

jam_mac_jam

aw you country folk, how quaint.

FatherLen

mikemac wrote: »

I'd never even heard of this

A quick wiki check


Sounds religious, the heathens on boards won't have anything to do with it

Are you doing the last part conlufc?

RELIGION THREAD!!!!!!


i am outta here!

conlufc

mikemac wrote: »

I'd never even heard of this

A quick wiki check


Sounds religious, the heathens on boards won't have anything to do with it

Are you doing the last part conlufc?

aw ya every year:D
mind you them burn marks didnt bring me much luck:P

Knight who says Meh

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

aw you country folk, how quaint.

Country folk as opposed to what? Folk from what passes for large town in other countries?

Duckworth_Luas

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Twas brought up on ray foley today and apparently Mayo is a hotbed for it on the 23rd of June. Dublin Louth and Tipperary it appears fo not be a big thing. So which counties is it big in and when isn't it ?

Tis big in cork.

Second biggest night of the year for kids in Galway and Roscommon, after Christmas Eve!

recyclebin

Let's burn the bondholders this bonfire night.

The King of Moo

I may be mistaken, but as far as I know it's Halloween in the cities (was here in Galway city) and midsummer in many rural areas. It's a remnant of Bealtaine, the summer fire festival (they still have a big shindig full of crusties in Edinburgh in the summer, with lots of fire eaters and such), they used to pass animals through it to ensure good harvest and milk and meat and such. And if they didn't survive you'd at least get a nice few steaks out of it.

Zebra3

Burning stuff.

Wow! :rolleyes:

robman60

It's true to say it's pretty big here in Mayo. Where I live, almost every estate has a bonfire, varying in size. It has always been a night I've looked forward to, and this year promises to be no different. Many people utilize it as an opportunity to burn rubbish illegally, however, so that makes up many of the bonfires.

Also, the slagging of country folk here is inappropriate, it isn't reserved to country areas at all, and those who don't have it are missing out I think.

Duckworth_Luas

The King of Moo wrote: »

I may be mistaken, but as far as I know it's Halloween in the cities (was here in Galway city) and midsummer in many rural areas. It's a remnant of Bealtaine, the summer fire festival (they still have a big shindig full of crusties in Edinburgh in the summer, with lots of fire eaters and such), they used to pass animals through it to ensure good harvest and milk and meat and such. And if they didn't survive you'd at least get a nice few steaks out of it.

Bonfires at Halloween is a recent urban thing. Where I grew up we had loads of Halloween traditions, bonfires was certainly not one of them.

Ally Dick

Do people in the West light bonfires to celebrate a wedding ? I was at a wedding in Tuam once and was driving to the reception in Ballinasloe. There were people lighting fires and waving at the wedding procession. Never saw that before anywhere else

Duckworth_Luas

Ally Dick wrote: »

Do people in the West light bonfires to celebrate a wedding ? I was at a wedding in Tuam once and was driving to the reception in Ballinasloe. There were people lighting fires and waving at the wedding procession. Never saw that before anywhere else

Yes, people light small bonfires along the route taken by the couple from the church to the reception.

Another tradition is for people to light fires for returning victorious GAA teams.

It's only when you live away from Connacht you realise how brilliant a place to live it is!

si_guru

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Bonfires at Halloween is a recent urban thing. Where I grew up we had loads of Halloween traditions, bonfires was certainly not one of them.

I am guessing but maybe this stemmed from the UK having bonfires on November 5th.

whatswhat

starbelgrade wrote: »

Ray Foley - proving how pointless radio shows can be, every Monday to Friday 12 - 2.30pm.

Totally agree. The man is up his own ass!

The King of Moo

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Bonfires at Halloween is a recent urban thing. Where I grew up we had loads of Halloween traditions, bonfires was certainly not one of them.

Like games? My mother would always try to get us to play games like bobbing for apples or this one where you've got a mound of flower with a peanut on top and you had to cut off a "slice" off flour without knocking the peanut. I think she hated us being near the bonfire and wanted to keep us away from it!

The King of Moo

si_guru wrote: »

I am guessing but maybe this stemmed from the UK having bonfires on November 5th.

I think that's it, as there's no real logical connection between bonfires and Halloween.

whatswhat

si_guru wrote: »

I am guessing but maybe this stemmed from the UK having bonfires on November 5th.

Least they wait till it gets dark.

Ally Dick

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Yes, people light small bonfires along the route taken by the couple from the church to the reception.

Is that why they have stone walls ? Are they afraid they'd set the hedges on fire ?

Duckworth_Luas

The King of Moo wrote: »

Like games? My mother would always try to get us to play games like bobbing for apples or this one where you've got a mound of flower with a peanut on top and you had to cut off a "slice" off flour without knocking the peanut. I think she hated us being near the bonfire and wanted to keep us away from it!

The games originated from superstitious people being afraid to go out on that night. People stayed in doors and the games kept the children occupied.

Young men however had no such fears. The result was that teenage boys had free reign to cause havoc unhindered. When these traditions traveled to America people would bribe boys with treats, hence trick-or-treat, which was itself imported into Ireland via TV.

The King of Moo

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

The games originated from superstitious people being afraid to go out on that night. People stayed in doors and the games kept the children occupied.

Young men however had no such fears. The result was that teenage boys had free reign to cause havoc unhindered. When these traditions traveled to America people would bribe boys with treats, hence trick-or-treat, which was itself imported into Ireland via TV.

We kept the tradition of causing havoc, just restricted to the bonfire and how big/explosive we could make it. I'll never forget throwing in that can of oil

Duckworth_Luas

The King of Moo wrote: »

We kept the tradition of causing havoc, just restricted to the bonfire and how big/explosive we could make it. I'll never forget throwing in that can of oil

On 23rd of June, the real Bonfire Night, every crossroads would have a bonfire, all organised by the local boys. Rivalries would break out between different groups as to who was building the biggest. Fires would be attacked, torn down, attempted to be set alight before the date and even stolen.

We stole an entire fire one time and added it to our own. Victory was sweet.

Blisterman

From Dublin, and I've never head of this before.

Show Time

It is a big excuse to go on the lash and burn rubbish down here, Many a happy Bonna night i had in my youth.

Joe10000

Have attended such nights in Mayo and there is some bye law that permits the burning of rubbish on the night, mostly lads and dads and lots of cans.

A bit like Halloween without the monkey nuts.

Daroxtar

We have them in Sligo too, Bonfire night and St.Stephens night were usually the two nights of the year you'd be guaranteed a serious trad session in our local.

Rhys Essien

Itssoeasy wrote: »

Twas brought up on ray foley today and apparently Mayo is a hotbed for it on the 23rd of June. Dublin Louth and Tipperary it appears fo not be a big thing. So which counties is it big in and when isn't it ?

Tis big in cork.

I've only ever heard about this going on in Cork City.Cannot say the same for the county.Although for halloween they would be popular all over.

W.Shakes-Beer

Come up to Coolock, its bonfire night every night here.

JONJO THE MISER

Never heard about this before, it certainly doesn't happen in kerry or cork.

milehip1

policarp wrote: »

Halloween is it not?

FatherLen wrote: »

i havent seen a bonfire in dublin other than on halloween

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

aw you country folk, how quaint.

Blisterman wrote: »

From Dublin, and I've never head of this before.

Simple-ass city dwellers!
always good for a laugh;)

rossie1977

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Never heard about this before, it certainly doesn't happen in kerry or cork.

you never heard of bonfire night....:eek:

as a kid growing in roscommon you would be building up to june 23rd for about 6 months

hondasam

JONJO THE MISER wrote: »

Never heard about this before, it certainly doesn't happen in kerry or cork.

Cork is well know for it's bonfires, there is always trouble with the fire brigade.

Where To

Used to be big in Donegal too but electricity and telephones and other gadgetry have ruined it:mad:

The Scientician

We had a bonfire of sorts last friday night cos we knew it would be lashing this week.
It's still common practice in Tyrone anyway.

Show Time

There is something about watching a good bonna that brings out the inner caveman in us all.

annascott

Bonfire night is 5th November. It is the night for fireworks too. I've never understood why they have them at halloween here....

Duckworth_Luas

annascott wrote: »

Bonfire night is 5th November. It is the night for fireworks too. I've never understood why they have them at halloween here....

Not in Ireland it aint!:eek:

Cú Giobach

annascott wrote: »

Bonfire night is 5th November. It is the night for fireworks too. I've never understood why they have them at halloween here....

And Bastille Day is the 14th of July we don't celebrate that either.
Halloween (Samhain) was one of the main celtic festivals, it was a time when the barriers were down between the worlds and the start of the long dark time of the year, it's old, very old indeed.

Lots of bonfire building going on here at the moment.

FinnLizzy

A good sign of inter community peace in NI is when you see Loyalists embracing Irish Catholic culture by placing our dear flag ontop of a pile of wood, high above the Union Flags with a replica of the Pope beneath (wearing a Celtic jersey, Because we all know the Pope is a big fan of the Scottish football)
I wish I could have stuck around for the festivities at nightfall, but I'm sure that by the next day, the flag and effigy were taken down with reverence.
:D:D

Truley

Bonfire night has always been huge in Sligo, and when I moved to Dublin I couldn't find a single person that knew what the hell it was. I always loved it because the weather would be good and it coincided with the end of school. It's much mellower than Halloween because you don't have the dodgy youths, fireworks and 'Devil's night' mentality surrounding it. People just sit out in the bright evening chatting and toasting marshmallows.

Joe10000

I have just driven from Galway to west Mayo and there were none in galway and yet the whole of Mayo seems to be on fire , one every few miles but a lot of them seem to be an excuse for burning domestic/farm rubbish as there was nobody near most of them.

charlemont

Theres a small one on the street now and I can see several piles of smoke around the city so plenty of bonfires here

Mickeroo

Duckworth_Luas wrote: »

Not in Ireland it aint!:eek:

In fairness I was always surprised we don't celebrate Guy Fawkes night here considering quite a few Irish people would have been happy to see the Houses of Parliament go boom back in the day :pac:

Bonfire was always great fun when I was growing up, the whole village would get together and we'd get to go off and kiss girls in the bushes.

frantic190

Don't think I have ever seen a bonfire on the 23rd of June here.

Maybe I don't get out enough

Ghost Estate

Dublin is too much into health & safety for having fun. Except for shagging strangers which goes a long way to make up for it i suppose