Christmas Top Irish Traditions that make the season
The Irish love Christmas and all of Ireland takes part in a number of fun traditions over the course of two weeks
Here are just a few of Ireland’s favourite things to do at Christmas – some old, some new but all activities that make Christmas in Ireland particularly special. In Ireland, Christmas lasts for about two weeks and is joyfully celebrated as a respite from the winter. Christmas really brings out the best in Ireland and the Irish, from cheerful festivities to wild acts of machismo, happy reunions, musical celebrations in church and partying for weeks. These are our favouite Irish Christmas traditions.
CHRISTMAS DAY SWIM
Christmas day swims take place all over Ireland on Christmas morning but probably most famously at the Forty Foot Rock, just south of Dublin. On Christmas Day, hundreds of people can be seen jumping off the rock into the Irish Sea wearing only their bathing suits.
The water in the Irish Sea on Christmas Day is usually around 500F/100C. Unfortunately, the temperature outside the water is usually far below that, making the experience bracing, to say the least. This is certainly not for the faint of heart but is a proven hangover cure, and participants often receive sponsorship for charities.
HORSE RACES ON ST. STEPHEN'S DAY (DECEMBER 26)
St. Stephen is the patron saint of horses but we are almost positive that this is not the reason that horse races on St. Stephen’s Day have become a tradition in Ireland. The races in Leopardstown in south Dublin, attract almost 20,000 people every year, but we think this has little to do with the old Germanic tradition of racing horses on St. Stephen’s Day to honor the saint. In Ireland, heading off to the races is a chance to get out of the house, stretch your legs, perhaps have a flutter on the horses and have a drink with friends.
CHRISTMAS CAROLING
During penal times, a group of soldiers was about to be ambushed. They had been surrounded, but a group of wrens pecked on their drums and woke them. The wren became known as The Devil’s Bird. To remember this, on St. Stephen’s Day people have a procession and go door-to-door wearing old clothes, blackened faces and carrying a dead (now more often fake) wren on top of the pole. Then, crowds of "strawboys" dressed in straw suits and masks march to celebrate the wren.
This later evolved into a caroling event. Although people no longer go door-to-door, or at least very rarely, carolers can be heard on many main streets over Christmas raising money for charity. It there’s one thing the Irish love doing is making music and Christmas is the perfect excuse to make some noise.
READING OF JAMES JOYCE'S STORY THE DEAD
The Dead is a short story from James Joyce’s collection Dubliners. A group of Dubliners gathers together for a post-Christmas celebration in James Joyce's transcendent tale of the banality and magic in life and death.
This tale has rather become like an Irish version of The Christmas Carol, a tale of reflection on our past, our present and our future.
NOLLAIG NA MBAN
January 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, is traditionally when the Irish finish celebrating Christmas. It is also known as Nollaig na mBan in Irish (Women’s Christmas). Tradition has it that women get the day off and the men of the house get to do the housework, cooking and take down the Christmas decorations. Women meet up, have a day out and treat themselves.