JANUARY - am Faoilleach. Traditionally, "The Wolf Month", two weeks before the festival of an fheille Bride (known as 'faoillteach geamhradh'- winter wolftime) and two weeks after it (known as 'faoillteach earraich - spring wolftime). Also known as the 'storm days' FEBRUARY - an Gearran, the gelding or horse. (Middle Irish - a workhorse; Gaulish coligny - Equos). The horse was used to draw the plough. Gearr also means 'to cut' and gearran is one of the many names used to describe the spring winds. Hence, gearran is the cutting wind; feadag is the whistling wind (the plover); gobag is the biting wind (dogfish). MARCH - am Mart, the seed time. There is much folklore concerned with the charm known as 'na tri Mairt' (the three Marches) which was said to protect the harvest from fairy enchantment. APRIL - an Giblean. The end of April is known as seachdain an t-sionnaich, the week of the fox (end of the winds). MAY - an Ceitean. The first weather of summer. (Old Irish cetsoman; Cet - first). The two weeks before Bealtaine (ceitean earrach - spring maytime); the two weeks after Bealtaine (ceitean samhradh - summer maytime). JUNE - an t-Ogmios. The young month. (Perhaps from the idea of the young summer, the young sun god). JULY - an t-Iuchar. The border time, traditionally the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August. Also known as the 'dog days'. (Sirius, the dog star, can be seen in the sky). AUGUST - an Lunasdal. From early Irish Lughnassad, the festival of Lugh. SEPTEMBER - an t-Sultainn. The fat time. (Sultar - plump, fat, in good condition. Early Irish - sult; Gaulish Rivros - fat; Gaelic - Reamhar). All these names refer to the ripening harvest. The September moon is gealach an abachaidh, moon of ripening. OCTOBER - an Damhair, the stag rut. Gaelic - damh, a stag. Old Celtic - damo. Gealach a 'bhruic - moon of the badger. NOVEMBER - an t-Samhainn, summer's end. The month of the festival of DECEMBER - an Dubhlachd. The dark season. Old Celtic - dubo - dark. ![]() SEASONSSUMMER - samhradh AUTUMN - foghar - the Harvest. WINTER - geamhradh (also gaimred and gaimo) - Stormy. ![]() |