May Poles Are Not Celtic

(Left, a painting by Flemmis painter Pieter Brueghel the Younger called "Dance Around the Maypole," ca. 1620-25, oil on panel, The Val A. Browning Collection of European Masterworks, Permanent Collection of the Utah Museum of Fine Arts.)

By Francine Nicholson

Today, maypoles have become a ubiquitous part of May celebrations among neopagans, including those who draw inspiration from Celtic sources. What is not well known is that the maypole is not a Celtic custom, although it was adopted to a certain degree in some areas under English influence.

Kevin Danaher describes how in one Irish village, the local landlady, of English heritage, insisted on the villagers incorporating the maypole into their Bealtaine celebrations. They complied as long as she kept up the pressure, but abandoned the practice when she was no longer able to insist on it.

Maypoles also became part of Bealtaine or Mayday celebrations in Irish cities. However, they took on a sectarian and political aspect. Each group or guild had its own maypole and bonfire, trying to outdo their rivals.

As described in other essays on this site, there are many other customs associated with Bealtaine that can be reliably attributed to the Celtic cultures. You may prefer to incorporate them into your next Bealtaine celebration.

Sources

Kevin Danaher, The Year in Ireland: Irish Calendar Customs, Irish Books & Media: 1972; ISBN: 0937702137

This article in the Celtic Well E-Journal is © Copyright 1999 by Francine Nicholson. Sections may be freely quoted, provided the author is properly cited with the URL and the words"electronic version." You may link to this site, but please do not copy this web page and its dependent web pages without contacting one of the Celtic Well List moderators.