Irish calendar

The Irish calendar does not observe the astronomical seasons (beginning, in the Northern Hemisphere, on the equinoxes and solstices), or the meteorological seasons (beginning on March 1, June 1, September 1 and December 1), but rather follows the seasons of the ancient Celts (see below) which are pre-Christian in origin.

Seasons

Winter (end)

January - Eanáir

• January 1 - New Year's Day, one of the Public Holidays in the Republic of Ireland.
  • 1973 - Ireland becomes a member of the EU.
• January 2 - St. Munchin, Patron of the Diocese of Limerick
• January 5 - Twelfth Night
• January 6 - Little Christmas (Nollaig Bheag) and/or Women's Christmas (Nollaig na mBan)
  • and/or Twelfth Day (the traditional end of the Christmas season), and for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation
• January 7 - 1922: Anglo-Irish Treaty ratified by Dáil Éireann
• January 13 - 1941: death of James Joyce
• January 17 - 1860: birth of Douglas Hyde
• January 21 - 1919: Meeting of the First Dáil in the Mansion House, Dublin
• January 28 - 1939: death of William Butler Yeats
• January 31 - St. Aiden, Patron of the Diocese of Ferns

===Spring=== (February, March and April)

February - Feabhra

• February 1 - Imbolc, Feast of St. Brigid (Secondary Patron of Ireland) and Lá Feabhra, the first day of Spring
• February 2 - 1882: birth of James Joyce
• February 6 - Feast of St. Mel, patron of the Diocese of Ardagh

March - Márta

• March 5 - Feast of St. Kieran, patron of the Diocese of Ossory
• March 17 - Saint Patrick's Day (public holiday), and for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation
• March 24 - Feast of St. Macartan, patron of the Diocese of Clogher
  • 1909: death of John Millington Synge
• March 25 - One of the four Irish Quarter days

April - Aibreán

• April 4 - 1774: death of Oliver Goldsmith
• April 10 - 1998, Good Friday Agreement, signed in Belfast.
• April 13 - 1906: birth of Samuel Beckett, Good Friday
• April 16 - 1871: birth of John Millington Synge
• April 18 - Feast of St Laserian, patron of Leighlin Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin.
  • 1949 - The Republic of Ireland Act comes into force.
• April 20 - 1912: death of Bram Stoker
• April 23 - 1014: Battle of Clontarf and death of Brian Boru, High King of Ireland on Good Friday
• April 24 - 1916: Start of the Easter Rising.

===Summer=== (May, June and July)

May - Bealtaine

The first Monday in May is a public holiday.

• May 1 - Beltane and Lá Bealtaine, the first day of Summer
• May 3 - Feast of St Conleth, patron of Kildare Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin
• May 14 - Feast of St. Carthage, patron of Lismore Diocese of Waterford and Lismore
• May 16 - Feast of Saint Brendan, patron of the Diocese of Clonfert

June - Meitheamh

The first Monday in June is a public holiday.

• June 3 - Feast of St. Kevin (Abbot of Glendalough) and patron of the Archdiocese of Dublin,
• June 6 - Feast of St. Jarlath patron of the Archdiocese of Tuam
• June 9 - Feast of Saint Columcille (Secondary Patron of Ireland)
• June 13 - 1865: birth of William Butler Yeats
• June 16 - Bloomsday
• June 16 - 1922: Elections held for Third Dáil
• June 20 - 1763: birth of Wolfe Tone,
• June 23 - St. John's Eve / Bonfire Night
• June 24 - One of the four Irish Quarter days

July - Iúil

• July 11 - Feast of St Oliver Plunket
  • 1921: Truce signed in the Irish War of Independence
  • National Day of Commemoration held on the nearest Sunday to July 11.
• July 12 - a public holiday in Northern Ireland
  • 1690: Battle of the Boyne
  • 1949: death of Douglas Hyde
• July 24 - Feast of St. Declan
• July 26 - 1856: birth of George Bernard Shaw
• July 31 - 1917: death of Francis Ledwidge
• Garland Sunday (last Sunday of month)

===Autumn=== (August, September and October)

August - Lúnasa

The first Monday in August is a public holiday.

• August 1 - Lughnasadh/Lá Lúnasa, the first day of Autumn
• August 9 - Feast of St. Felim and St. Nathy
• August 15 - Feast of The Assumption of Mary
  • for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation
• August 16 - 1921: First meeting of Second Dáil
• August 19 - 1887: birth of Francis Ledwidge
• August 26 - 1921: Eamon de Valera elected President of the Irish Republic
• August 22 - 1922: death of Michael Collins
• August 30 - Feast of St. Fiacre (Fiachra)

September - Meán Fómhair

• September 9 - Feast of St. Kieran of Clonmacnoise
  • 1922: First meeting of Third Dáil
• September 14 - Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (the following Wednesday, Friday and Saturday were observed as Quarter tense)
• September 20 - 1803: death of Robert Emmet
• September 25 - Feast of St. Finbarr
• September 29 - One of the four Irish Quarter days

October - Deireadh Fómhair

The last Monday in October is a public holiday.

• October 11 - Feast of St. Canice
  • 1922: Anglo-Irish Treaty negotiations begin at Downing Street, London
• October 16 - Feast of St. Gall
  • 1854: birth of Oscar Wilde
  • 1890: birth of Michael Collins
• October 19 - 1745: death of Jonathan Swift
• October 29 - Feast of St. Colman of Kilmacduagh
• October 31 - Halloween/Samhain/Oíche Shamhna

===Winter (start)=== (November, December and January see above)

November - Mí na Samhna

• November 1 - All Saints Day and Lá Samhna (November Day), the first day of Winter
  • for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation
• November 2 - 1950: death of George Bernard Shaw
• November 6 - Feast of All the Saints of Ireland
• November 8 - 1847: birth of Bram Stoker
• November 10 - 1728: birth of Oliver Goldsmith
• November 19 - 1798: death of Wolfe Tone
• November 30 - 1667: birth of Jonathan Swift
  • 1900: death of Oscar Wilde

December - Mí na Nollag

• December 6 - Feast of Saint Nicholas, chief patron of the City of Galway
  • 1921: Anglo-Irish Treaty signed
  • 1922: (i.e. exactly one year later) Irish Free State comes into existence
• December 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception, for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation,
• December 9 - 1922: First meeting of the first Senate of the Irish Free State.
• December 13 - Feast of Saint Lucy (the following Wednesday, Friday and Saturday were observed as Quarter tense)
• December 18 - Feast of St. Flannan patron of the Diocese of Killaloe,
• December 22 - 1989: death of Samuel Beckett, Saoi of Aosdána
• December 25 - Christmas Day (Public Holiday), one of the four Irish Quarter days
  • for Irish Roman Catholics, a Holy Day of Obligation
• December 26 - St. Stephen's Day (Public Holiday)

Calendar terms in Irish language/Gaelic

Days of the Week - Laethanta na Seachtaine

• Monday: Dé Luain
• Tuesday: Dé Máirt
• Wednesday: Dé Céadaoin
• Thursday: Déardaoin
• Friday: Dé hAoine
• Saturday: Dé Satharn
• Sunday: Dé Domhnaigh.

Seasons of the Year - Ráithí na Bliana/Na Séasúir

• Spring: An tEarrach
• Summer: An Samhradh
• Autumn: An Fómhar
• Winter: An Gheimhreadh

Holidays and Holydays - Féilte na Bliana

• New Years Day: Lá Caille
• Epiphany: Nollaig Bheag or Nollaig na mBan
• St. Brigid's Day: Lá 'le Bríde
• St. Patrick's Day: Lá 'le Pádraig
• May Day: Lá Bealtaine
• Assumption: Lá 'le Muire san Fhómhar
• Hallowe'en: Oíche Shamhna
• Nov.1: Lá Samhna
• All Souls Day: Lá na Marbh
• Christmas Day: Lá Nollag
• St. Stephen's Day: Lá 'le Stiofáin.

Movable Feasts - Na Féilte Reatha

• Shrove Tuesday: Máirt na hInide
• Ash Wednesday: Céadaoin an Luaithrigh
• Lent: An Carghas
• Spy Wednesday: Céadaoin an Bhraith
• Good Friday: Aoine an Chéasta
• Easter Sunday: Domhnach Cásca
• Pentecost Sunday: Domhnach Cincíse