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== The Celtic calendar ==

== The Celtic calendar ==

''Cormac's Glossary'' gives ''Imbol'' (February 1) as the first day of spring, ''Beltaine'' (May 1) the first day of summer, ''Lugnasad'' (August 1) the first day of fall, and ''Samhain'' (November 1) the first day of winter. This glossary was started by the king-bishop of Munster around AD 900. Some entries were added centuries later.<ref>Beltaine is identified with ''biltine'' (May Day). The entry on November notes that it is the winter month following Samhain: "'''Gamuin''', i.e. in the month of Gam, i.e., after Samuin; whence gamnach, i.e. winter‐engorged teats, i.e., milk milked in the month of winter, i.e. in the season of winter." (''[https://archive.org/details/sanaschormaicco00stokgoog/page/n40/mode/2up Sanas Chormaic. Cormac's glossary]''

''Cormac's Glossary'' gives ''Imbol'' (February 1) as the first day of spring, ''Beltaine'' (May 1) the first day of summer, ''Lugnasad'' (August 1) the first day of fall, and ''Samhain'' (November 1) the first day of winter. This glossary was started by the king-bishop of Munster around AD 900. Some entries were added centuries later.<ref>Beltaine is identified with ''biltine'' (May Day). The entry on November notes that it is the winter month following Samhain: "'''Gamuin''', i.e. in the month of Gam, i.e., after Samuin; whence gamnach, i.e. winter‐engorged teats, i.e., milk milked in the month of winter, i.e. in the season of winter." (''[https://archive.org/details/sanaschormaicco00stokgoog/page/n40/mode/2up Sanas Chormaic. Cormac's glossary]''

by Cormac, O'Donovan, John, ed. and tr; Stokes, Whitley, 1868)</ref><ref name="Olmsted">Olmsted, Garrett (2009). ''The Coligny Calendar: the Implications for Gaulish and Irish Festival Dates''.</ref>  

by Cormac, O'Donovan, John, ed. and tr; Stokes, Whitley, 1868)</ref>

A Celtic lunisolar calendar has been reconstructed from fragments of a second AD calendar found in the French town of Coligny. The first month on the calendar is called ''Samonios''. The Celts celebrated a three-day festival that began on the 17th of ''Samonios'', according to this calendar.<ref name="Olmsted">Olmsted, Garrett (2009). ''The Coligny Calendar: the Implications for Gaulish and Irish Festival Dates''.</ref> This festival may correspond to Beltaine, the most important Celtic holiday. Perhaps 17 Samonios corresponded to May 1, the Julian date for Beltaine, or perhaps change of season dates were placed on the first of the month for convenience. The calendar may have originally started on the summer solstice (June 21) and migrated due to calendar drift. Samhain followed Beltaine by six months.

A Celtic lunisolar calendar has been reconstructed from fragments of a second AD calendar found in the French town of Coligny. The first month on the calendar is called ''Samonios''. The "sam" suggests that this was a summer month. The Celts celebrated a three-day festival that began on the 17th of ''Samonios'', according to this calendar.<ref name="Olmsted">Olmsted, Garrett (2009). ''The Coligny Calendar: the Implications for Gaulish and Irish Festival Dates''.</ref> This festival may correspond to Beltaine, the most important Celtic holiday. Perhaps 17 Samonios corresponded to May 1, the Julian date for Beltaine, or perhaps change of season dates were placed on the first of the month for convenience. The calendar may have originally started on the summer solstice (June 21) and migrated due to calendar drift. Either way, Samhain would have followed Beltaine by six months.

==References==

==References==