Spectators gather for ancient Celtic fire procession that welcomes summer
A procession of light and fire was held at the Hill of Uisneach, an ancient ceremonial site steeped in Irish mythology.
Advertisement
Performers during the Bealtaine Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath (Niall Carson/PA)
Performers dressed in Celtic costumes and donned leaf head-dresses as they re-enacted life and traditions from centuries ago.
At the end of the procession, a huge fire was lit welcoming the summer, a ritual that dates back more than 1,000 years to the time of the High Kings of Ireland.
The Bealtaine Fire Festival, held on Saturday, also offered a talk on prehistoric astronomy, poetry and storytelling, music and drumming before the procession began at sundown.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Scythers cut back the King's wildflower meadow in annual tradition
Mowers and members of the Scythe Association of Britain & Ireland were pictured cutting back the species-rich plot at Charles's Gloucestershire estate this week as the end of the summer approaches. The King is known to be a fan of the traditional country craft and has in the past turned his hand to the skill, which was once boosted in popularity by actor Aidan Turner scything topless in the BBC drama Poldark. The age old practice, of using a tool with a long curved blade to cut meadows by hand in a low sweeping motion, produces a closer cut to the ground, allowing for better seed germination and maintaining biodiversity while providing crucial winter fodder for livestock. The meadow, which was established more than 40 years ago, covers four acres and is one of the most picturesque gardens at Highgrove House near Tetbury. It was developed by gardening expert Miriam Rothschild in 1982 with special seed mix which replicated old meadows which had been lost over time. Charles, then the Prince of Wales, wanted his experimental meadow to protect native flora and fauna which were in decline thanks to modern farming methods. The original seed mix comprised 32 varieties of native plants, including ox-eye daisies, yellow rattle, common spotted orchid, meadow crane's bill and ragged robin. Managed as a traditional hay meadow, it is cut in summer for hay, and grazed by sheep in the autumn, which helps to tread seeds back into the ground. Yellow rattle keeps grasses cropped, and more than seven types of orchids thrive in the soil. May at Highgrove means sunshine, colour, and life bursting everywhere! Our wildflower meadow is a breathtaking sea of purple, where Camassia leichtlinii and Camassia quamash bloom in full glory, perfectly set against the lush green grass that defines the English countryside.🌞💜 — Highgrove Gardens (@HighgroveGarden) May 7, 2025 Spring is a highlight when scores of Lent lily and Ice Follies daffodils appear, followed by swathes of yellows, pink and purples. The meadow was named as the first of 60 Coronation Meadows in a project initiated Charles ahead of the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation in 2013. It now contains more than 70 varieties of plants. Highgrove is open to the public from April to October, with all proceeds from visitors going towards the work of The King's Foundation – Charles's charity, based on the site, which works to protect traditional skills and crafts.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Vogue Williams sizzles in a skimpy pink bikini as she promotes her new tanning range after enjoying a family holiday in Spain
Vogue Williams showed off her amazing figure in a skimpy pink bikini on Thursday as she plugged her new tanning range in an Instagram video. The Irish presenter, 39, looked incredible in the eye catching two-piece as she showed off her 'express tan removal gel' from her brand, BareByVogue. Vogue was in good spirits as she showed her 1.1million fans how to apply and use the £27 product while filming in a bathroom. Leaving her long blonde tresses loose, the mother-of-three applied the gel to her arm and explained that she will leave it for five minutes before exfoliating it off in the shower. She wrote: 'You asked, we listened! Our Express Tan Removal Gel now comes in a JUMBO size, because we all know size really matters. The perfect product for keeping your skin prepped & ready for a flawless glow, again and again'. Last week, Vogue playfully enlisted her husband Spencer Matthews to plug her tanning range in a hilarious video. She once again showed off her incredible figure in a black and white bikini while shirtless Spencer, 37, donned a pair of blue swim shorts. Filming on the beach during their Spanish holiday, Vogue welcomed Spencer to her followers as he posed like a doll. She said to the camera: 'OK, so today we have our model, Spencer Matthews, and we're going to be using the liquid body illuminator because he's not illuminated hunnies. 'Thank goodness the model doesn't talk. Little illuminator here...,' before Spencer jumped out of character. 'Oh god, oh god, we'll do the chest, oh yeah. Look at that shimmer. Look at this man, who is tensing for his life,' Vogue said. She continued: 'Now I know I can't talk as I got any on currently,' before Spencer started tensing more. Vogue quipped: 'No we don't need any more tensing, you're going to fall apart. Maybe a bit on the tip of the nose... golden goddess.' She then joked: 'Bigger boobs than me.' Alongside the clip, she penned: 'Spenno wouldn't be caught dead without his @barleyvogue glow on the beach! That's some serious tensing going on.' The liquid body illuminator retails for £35 and is available online and in drugstores. The fun clip comes just days after Vogue cosied up to Spencer as they enjoyed a sun-soaked boat day in Spain. The pair looked loved-up as they posed on the back of the boat with daughter Gigi, four. Vogue looked incredible in a yellow and blue lemon patterned bikini which she teamed with a matching wrap skirt. Meanwhile shirtless Spencer showed off his ripped physique in a pair of rainbow tiger print swimming shorts. The couple, who tied the knot in 2018, were all smiles during their day out on the ocean before pulling funny faces with their little girl. Vogue then slipped into a white swimsuit and pink baseball cap as she hit the beach in another snap. She shielded from the sun behind a pair of stylish sunglasses and accessorised with a chunky gold necklace as she held their youngest child Otto, three. Another photo showed, Spencer holding Otto upside while posing for a picture. The couple are also parents to son Theodore, six. He wrote: 'Spain photodump'.
South Wales Guardian
6 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
Scythers cut back the King's wildflower meadow in annual tradition
Mowers and members of the Scythe Association of Britain & Ireland were pictured cutting back the species-rich plot at Charles's Gloucestershire estate this week as the end of the summer approaches. The King is known to be a fan of the traditional country craft and has in the past turned his hand to the skill, which was once boosted in popularity by actor Aidan Turner scything topless in the BBC drama Poldark. The age old practice, of using a tool with a long curved blade to cut meadows by hand in a low sweeping motion, produces a closer cut to the ground, allowing for better seed germination and maintaining biodiversity while providing crucial winter fodder for livestock. The meadow, which was established more than 40 years ago, covers four acres and is one of the most picturesque gardens at Highgrove House near Tetbury. It was developed by gardening expert Miriam Rothschild in 1982 with special seed mix which replicated old meadows which had been lost over time. Charles, then the Prince of Wales, wanted his experimental meadow to protect native flora and fauna which were in decline thanks to modern farming methods. The original seed mix comprised 32 varieties of native plants, including ox-eye daisies, yellow rattle, common spotted orchid, meadow crane's bill and ragged robin. Managed as a traditional hay meadow, it is cut in summer for hay, and grazed by sheep in the autumn, which helps to tread seeds back into the ground. Yellow rattle keeps grasses cropped, and more than seven types of orchids thrive in the soil. May at Highgrove means sunshine, colour, and life bursting everywhere! Our wildflower meadow is a breathtaking sea of purple, where Camassia leichtlinii and Camassia quamash bloom in full glory, perfectly set against the lush green grass that defines the English countryside.🌞💜 — Highgrove Gardens (@HighgroveGarden) May 7, 2025 Spring is a highlight when scores of Lent lily and Ice Follies daffodils appear, followed by swathes of yellows, pink and purples. The meadow was named as the first of 60 Coronation Meadows in a project initiated Charles ahead of the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation in 2013. It now contains more than 70 varieties of plants. Highgrove is open to the public from April to October, with all proceeds from visitors going towards the work of The King's Foundation – Charles's charity, based on the site, which works to protect traditional skills and crafts.
