Bealtaine / May Day Irish Phrases
Lá Bealtaine
Bealtaine / May Day is called "Lá Bealtaine" in Irish and is celebrated on 1 May. The greeting is "Lá Bealtaine sona duit" (Happy May Day).
Bealtaine marks the beginning of summer in the Irish calendar — one of the four great Celtic festivals. It's a celebration of light, growth, and renewal. Here are the Irish phrases connected to this ancient tradition.
Essential phrases
Lá Bealtaine sona duit
Happy May Day
Greeting for the start of summer
Tá an samhradh ag teacht
Summer is coming
Bealtaine's promise
Mí na Bealtaine
The month of May
May is named after the festival in Irish
Tine Bhealtaine
Bealtaine fire
The great bonfires lit on hilltops
Crann coll
Hazel tree
Sacred tree associated with Bealtaine
Sceach gheal
Hawthorn / May bush
The fairy tree, decorated with ribbons and cloth
Tobar beannaithe
Holy well
Visited for blessing at Bealtaine
Lá geal
Bright day
From 'bel' (bright) + 'teine' (fire)
Fáinne an lae
Daybreak / dawn
The light returning — central to Bealtaine
Neart an tsamhraidh
The strength of summer
What Bealtaine celebrates
The history of Lá Bealtaine
Bealtaine (pronounced 'bal-tin-eh') is the Celtic festival marking the start of summer. Great bonfires were lit on hilltops, cattle were driven between twin fires for purification, and hawthorn (sceach gheal) was brought inside to decorate homes. May Day traditions in Ireland include dancing, maypoles, and visiting holy wells. The month of May (Bealtaine) still carries the name of this ancient festival.
Further reading
Go beyond the phrases
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