Beltane

Beltane is the ancient Celtic festival marking the beginning of summer. Bealtaine, (or various other spellings) is old Irish for “bright fire” or “mouth of fire.” On Beltane great bonfires may be lit, so it also known as the Fire Festival. Beltane takes place on May 1st, although celebrations may take place in the days leading up to and following that. Beltane is celebrated in Ireland, Scotland and in other places where people have tried to revive Celtic festivals and observances. Remnants of Beltane traditions can be seen in many May Day festivals. Beltane traditions can be found in many parts of Canada, especially where there are large populations of Irish immigrants, such as Newfoundland.

source: uisneach.ie

Find out more:

RTE (Irish Radio & Television)

Uisneach

Newgrange: Beltane

Irish Culture and Customs

The Irish Independent

Your Irish Culture: Bealtaine

Sikh Heritage Month

April is Sikh Heritage Month in Canada. In your School Library we take the month to learn more about Sikhs and their contributions to the history and current affairs of Canada. April also brings a special focus on celebration of Vaisakhi. Sometimes known as Khalsa Day, Vaisakhi is observed by Sikhs in celebration the establishment of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The Khalsa refers to the millions of followers of Sikhism around the world. Vaisakhi celebrations in Canada include some of the largest in the world, such as those in Vancouver and in Surrey.

Find out more:

Surrey’s Khalsa Day Parade

World Sikh Organization

CBC: Vancouver Parade

Vaisakhi– Sikh.net

source: Joel Friesen, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

More to read for Irish Heritage Month

Come down to your School Library to browse some selections for Irish Heritage Month. We have many novels by Irish authors, and many stories about Ireland & the Irish. We also have books about Irish-Canadians and the Irish Diaspora to many other parts of the world. Borrow some good reading for March break!