Festivals in Inis Meain

LÁ NA gCEAPARAÍ - day of the sandwiches - this is a tradition on the 1st of January each year where tradition holds that it is good luck that a boy should be the first person to cross your threshold. The boys of primary school age visit the island homes and say a blessing for good luck, the householder rewards the boy with a coin and a currant cake. This tradition may have been common throughout Ireland but it has died out everywhere except on Inis Meáin.

LÁ CHINN AN DHÁ LÁ DHÉAG - the climax of the 12 days - on the 6th of January the islanders light 12 candles in their windows to mark the end of Christmas.

NA BRÍDEOIG - the little Bridgets - on the 1st of February the primary school girls makea mannequin of a woman and carry her from house to house. On entering they dance a jig and chant a blessing. The householder places coins in the Brídeog's purse.

On Saint Patrick's Day (17th March) the men play a game called CAD. This game is only played on that day and involves placing a wooden jack against a stone, the jack is hit with a stick and flies up into the air, the player swipes at the jack to hurl it a distance. The one who gets furthest wins and as the game is played nowhere else the winner is the world champion!

Saint John's Day, the 24th of June is the feast of the Patron Saint of the Island. This was marked with a mass at Cill Channain on the eve (this no longer happens as there is no resident priest on the island) and a bonfire at Dún Crochur on the high point of the island.

RASAI INIS MEAIN - the annual sports weekend is held on the last weekend of July. Islanders and visitors can take part in a variety of sporting events such as football, road races, tug-o-war, throwing stones/weights and so on. The weekend culminates in the Currach racing (pictured above) where teams from the islands and other places compete over a distance of about 2km. The prestige event is the 3-man race but there is also a solo, junior and 1-man 2-woman event.

MUIRE SA SAMHRADH - the feast of the Assumption on the 15th August - on this day the islanders make a traditional visit to the grave of Saint Kenderrig situated behind the priest's house in the centre of the island. They circle the grave seven times chanting prayers and dropping a small stone on each revolution. After the circuits are complete they proceed to a Holy Well in the neighbouring field to drink and make a wish. Traditionally they also tied a rag to the nearby bush. The cross on the grave appears to be a later addition and it is probable that this feast has its origins in some older and possibly pre-Christian festival.