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This last week I was (again) pouring over my copy of Kevin Danaher's 's "The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs" [Mercier Press, 1972]--I made out like a bandit whenb I acquired this text; I found it for $6 at my local Half price Bookstore, when the average price on-line seems to be at the *very* least $40! Anyway, I was reading his section on Lughnasadh, when I came upon many divinatory practiuces centered upon this seasonal portal. So, it was then that I was reminded of Hutton's "Stations of the Sun" where be absolutely rejected the idea that divination was a native fascet of Samhain practices, outside of a blatantly late-coming Christian mileu. But, we can define at least 3 (and, I am looking for possible evidence for a 4th.) seasonal portals in Ireland with unique divinatory customs: Samhain generally seem to be associated with the survival of winter (though, when Hutton rejected them as non-native B.S., he absolutely ignored any endemic Irish folklore and pagan belief centered around some divinatory customs, such as the apple o the hazel, etc.); Lughnasadh divination seems to be associated with what the subsequent harvest will yield (Lughnasadh being the Irish auntumnal seasonal portal); and Imbolc, which is (due to bears and groundhogs, etc.) associated with the onset of Spring and when sowing of fields may most likely be commenced. Each divinatory custom seems to be, generally, associated with wider and more intrinsic seasonal themes, so I will eventually turn my attention to Beltane--looking to see if I can find another summer divinatory system.
Hutton frequently cited Danaher's book throughout his "Stations", so...one wonders why he never considered such a potentially native Irish thesis?
Hutton frequently cited Danaher's book throughout his "Stations", so...one wonders why he never considered such a potentially native Irish thesis?
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Re: Samhain Divination
Sat, November 1, 2008 - 9:41 AMI have read neither Danaher's nor Hutton's book, but to deny any divination at Samhain prior to the arrival of Christianity seems so grossly reductive, if not illogical, that there seems to be something missing here. Perhaps I fail to understand your representation of them fully? Many ealry texts seem to indicate effectively if not expressly divinatory practices associated with Samhain. In the Sick Bed of Cú Chulainn, for example, the swords gauranteeing the truth of their owners' boasts is at least suggestive. There is no telling what practices were lost when Christianity came in, since Patrick is remembered as having specifically dictated which pre-Christian practices were allowable under the new religion.
In a different vein, the very survival of the four festivals suggests that they were lesser festivals to begin with (hopefully no one will throw a chair at me for this one). Why would Christianity allow even the memory of festivals crucial to an opposing religion? If these were leser festivals, then there could have been others with a stronger association with divination. Isn't there a passage in Caesar saying that the druids would divine the future through public executions on holy days?
