Celtic History

The ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasa is celebrated through art, music, dance in the centre of Ireland.

Lunasa takes its name from the Irish god Lugh, one of the chief gods of the Tuatha De Danann. “Lughnasa” was one of their most important ancient Celtic festivals and went on for 15 days. The international artists who have celebrated at “Dancing with Lunasa” combine Folk, Traditional and Contemporary Irish Music and have rejoiced at our rich diverse cultural heritage.

The Castle was built on the site of an ancient monastery in 1209 and is set in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, birthplace of the legendary Fionn MacCool.

'Dancing with Lunasa', the revival of an ancient Celtic festival, which was celebrated for thousands of years in Celtic countries, is revived on the grounds of Kinnitty Castle, part of the ancient ceremonial site.

The festival was previously celebrated in the Slieve Blooms up until 1936 and revived in 2004.

The revived Lunasa festival has now established itself as an important event in the Irish Traditional Music calendar with events held in 2004, 2005 and now again in 2008.

Previous Lúnasa's have seen the participation of musicians from every corner of the Celtic world.

According to Ceasar, the Gauls regarded Mercury as 'the inventor of all the arts and a guide on the roads and journeys...and the most influential for money-making and commerce.'

It is commonly accepted that the Gaulish (present day France) and the Irish God Lugh are one.

Lugh, the 'Shining One', is in fact the most colourful figure among the divine Tuatha De Denann, the ancient Celtic tribe.

Youthful, athletic and handsome, he appears as a victor over the malelovent otherworld beings - as king of the Tuatha De Denann after Nuadha and as divine Father of the great hero Cuchalainn.

Lughnasadh, his feast, is a harvest festival. Two of his principal sites, Carmun and Tailtiu were burials places of female deities who are clearly associated with the earth and its fertility. Brian Friel wrote the famous play, 'Dancing at Lughnasa', which was later made into a film which starred Meryl Streep.

Lugh is also associated with Wales where he is known as Lieu. In Spain known as Lugoves and also references to him have been found in Switzerland. It is certain that he is known in all circles of the Celtic world and established the festival to honour his foster mother, Taitliu, the last Queen of the Fir Bolg, who died from exhaustion after clearing a great forest so that the land could be cultivated. She died on August 1st at the old Celtic stronghold of Lugudunum in France. When the men of Ireland gathered at her death-bed, she told them to hold funeral games in her honor. As long as they were held, she prophesised Ireland would not be without song.

The festival appears to have multiple origins. Lug was the Grandson of the Celtic Summers Sun and they slew him in order the Autumn Sun would rise and oversee the harvest. This gave rise to the festival where the first fruits of the soil were sacrificed. Lug also battled with a more primitive God called Crom Dubh to win the corn for the people. In Irish folklore St. Patrick came to be substituted for Lug and later the Christian Church took over the festival as a thanksgiving for the harvest, known as 'Harvest Festival' or 'Harvest of First Fruits' or 'Lammas', which is derived from 'Loaf Mass', the bread being made from the first corn harvested.

The tradition of the festival, which was celebrated throughout Ireland and in the Slieve Blooms, was for people to gather on the hilltops and sing and dance in thanksgiving.