Lughnasadh or Lammas Lore

Lughnasadh or Lammas was the first in the trilogy of harvest festivals in ancient Celtic culture. It marked the beginning of the harvest season and the decline of summer into winter. The word Lammas is from the Saxon word Hlaf-mass, the Feast Of Bread. Festivities and Rituals typically centered around the assurance of a bountiful harvest season and the celebration of the harvest cycle. Connected to Lammas was the gathering of Bilberries, an ancient practice symbolizing the fruitfulness of Lughnasadh Rituals. If the Bilberries were bountiful, it was a sign that there would likewise be a plentiful harvest.
     Lughnasadh was associated with the Irish god known as Lugh, the God Of All Skills, the 'Bright or Shining One.' Funerary games incorporating athletic prowess were conducted in honor of Lugh during the festival. They were said to be in memory of Lugh's foster mother Tailtiu, who died while preparing the fields for planting.