Don’t let a lockdown get in the way of popular traditions

THE ongoing COVID-19 crisis may have put almost every upcoming festival in Kerry for the foreseeable future on hold, but this does not mean that the public should not be able to enjoy at least some of the county’s traditions from the safety of home.

One such example – and one which has proven very popular in recent years – is the May Day Bealtaine festival.

Rather than chalk this year’s festival down as lost, though, one of the organisers, Conor Browne, is instead asking people – and especially those living in Mid-Kerry – to join in on their ‘May Bush’ project over the next month.

His idea is simple: for each home to put out a May Bush or bough on May 1.

For those unfamiliar with what a May Bush is, it is a decorated bush, which in rural areas was left outside the house to ward off fairies; the bush was often made of hawthorn, and the decoration usually consisted of ribbons, cloth streamers and perhaps tinsel.

Sometimes the leftover coloured eggshells for Easter Sunday were used as decorations.

Speaking to The Kerryman this week, Conor explained to us a little bit more about the project.

“It’s something that’s proved to a very popular segment in the festival every year, so we thought we’d extend the challenge this year if people needed something to work on during lockdown,” he said.

“Rochelle Lucey, who is Head of Art for K-Fest, is going to be doing tutorials on how to make a May Bush, and this should be up on the May Day Bealtaine and Biddy’s Day Facebook pages in the next day or so,” he said.

“Let’s have some fun at home and lift our spirits and those of our neighbours,” he added.

INSET: Conor Browne, who is Vice Chairman of the May Day Festival and an example of a May Bush outside someone’s home in Kerry last year.