Maytide: Celebrating May Day with Matthew Wood and Seán Pádraig O'Donoghue

The first of May is associated with Hawthorn, one of the "three sacred herbs of Wales" (rowan, elder, hawthorn) or the older "three magical herbs of the Celts" (oak, ash, and thorn). In most of the southern British Isles hawthorn blooms around May 1 and is associated with this day celebrating the return of spring. It is still celebrated (mostly for the fun of it) in Europe and elsewhere, while for some pagans it is a serious Holiday. Modern people, not living close to the Earth, have their Earth Day. The Soviet Union made it into the “worker’s day.” Originally, the day was the halfway point between spring solstice and summer equinox. Well . . . whatever we believe, we thought it a fun day and a great bunch of herbs to think about. - Matthew