Bilberry & Garland Sunday Folklore

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Next Nature Folklore Sessions Live -
Sunday 25th July, at 2pm Irish Time


Watch here Live! ... or watch the archive later (click pic to set reminder)

Bilberry & Garland Sunday Folklore
stories of engagement through berries and flowers

Bilberry Sunday and Garland Sunday are celebrated in various places of Ireland, almost as if they are separate to Lunasadh. The custom of Bilberry Sunday almost vanished as the spread of sitka spruce tree plantations wiped out very abundant bilberry bush areas. Now as many of these tree plantations have been felled ,and not replaced, the bilberry bushes are naturally returning and so are the foragers. Foragers how gather for their own versions of Bilberry Sunday, usually a picnic with friends

With Garland Sunday, due to how it is celebrated in some places around Ireland today, we may think of the dog shows, baby shows, and sports on this day. But during this Nature Folklore session I will share I few stories of Garland Sunday origins that I have picked up along the way ...

Both the earlier traditions of Bilberry Sunday and Garland Sunday had connections to fertility and care for upcoming newborns, and I will tell how these events were revered. 

I will also tell of land fertility and gratitude rituals that were acted out by some interesting mythical characters. I will also include some origins to the mountain pilgrimages such as the Croagh Patrick climb. 

Also, for this 'Nature Folklore' session on Sunday I invite you to share your poetry or story that relates to bilberries, flower garlands, pilgrimages, and first harvest gratitude, or similar. Please message me to arrange being live on the show on Sunday, or submit your pre-recorded video clips, photos, and audio clips. I can assemble these into short videos for broadcast. Please ensure these are in Landscape mode as much as possible.

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