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What is Lughnasadh?

Lughnasadh, or Lammas, is the first of the three harvest festivals of the Wheel of the Year. In the Northern Hemisphere, Lammas is celebrated on August 1st, and in the Southern Hemisphere, on February 1st, representing a time to honour the first harvest, whether that means crops from your garden or the first results of your intentions finally coming to life. Lughnasadh marks the beginning of the season where the earth starts to give back. The days are still warm, the fields turn golden, and the air carries the scent of ripening grain. Even though the sun still shines brightly and summer feels strong, this sabbat reminds us that autumn is slowly approaching. That’s why it’s important to enjoy the warmth, the gifts of nature, and to begin preparing our homes and spirits for the colder months ahead. Also, Lammas celebrates the first fruits of the land, which is a moment of joy, gratitude, and celebration. More harvests will come later, but now is the time to notice that what you’ve planted, literally or metaphorically, is beginning to grow. Lughnasadh is about trusting that what’s to come will be abundant, and taking a moment to appreciate how far you've come.

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Origins of Lammas

Lughnasadh gets its name from the Celtic god Lugh, a solar deity associated with skill, harvest, and craftsmanship. The alternative name, Lammas, comes from the Old English hlaf-mæss, meaning “loaf-mass” or “feast of bread.” Traditionally, this was a time when communities gave thanks for the first grain harvest by baking loaves of bread and offering them in gratitude, both to deities and as part of the communal celebration. Harvesting grain, gathering fruit and vegetables, and honoring solar gods were all important parts of this sabbat.

August 1st was only the peak of a much longer celebration. The three days leading up to Lughnasadh were considered especially sacred and focused on purification rituals. These days were dedicated to Ana, an ancient Irish solar goddess, older and more primordial than Lugh himself. Some believe that the entire festival may have originally belonged to her, before being associated with Lugh later on.

The ancient Romans associated this time with the rising of the Dog Star, Sirius, calling it the dies caniculares, which is where the modern phrase “Dog Days” comes from. These days were seen as the most intense and unbearable of the summer.

In early Ireland, it was considered unlucky to harvest grain before Lughnasadh. Doing so meant that last year’s supplies had run out too early, before the next harvest was ready. Waiting until Lughnasadh symbolized proper abundance and care.

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God Lugh x Lammas

Lughnasadh takes its name from the Celtic deity Lugh, sometimes spelled Lug. In Irish tradition, he is Lugh, while in Wales he is known as Lleu Llaw Gyffes, the “Bright One of the Skillful Hand.” Across continental Europe, he was called Lugos, meaning “raven,” and held an important role in Gaul as well.

Today, Lugh is often seen as a solar god and a bringer of harvest, but in ancient times, he was much more: he was a god of skill, crafts, kingship, and heroic strength. He was a brilliant warrior and wise leader, ruling over the Tuatha Dé Danann, the divine people of the goddess Danu. Danu, a great mother goddess linked to earth, water, fertility, and victory, was the ancestral force behind this divine race. With Lugh's power, her people triumphed over the Fir Bolg and the Fomoiri, former divine rulers depicted in Irish myths as wild and monstrous beings. Lugh was also revered for his mastery in many arts, and over time, he came to be associated with the Roman god Mercury, both being patrons of intelligence, travel, skill, and strategy.

During Lammas, we celebrate his energy of mastery, fulfillment, and transformation. The sun is still warm, but its strength begins to fade. Lugh, as the radiant god, now pours the last of his energy into the land, bringing forth the first harvest. He has not disappeared yet, but his cycle is shifting. The goddess, too, has changed; she is now the Grain. Her role is to dry the fields, to release the seeds that will fall into the earth and sleep through winter, waiting to rise again at Imbolc. Some sources say that four weeks are especially sacred to Lugh, the last two weeks of July and the first two weeks of August, roughly the time when the sun passes through the sign of Leo, and reaches its symbolic height at 15 degrees.

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Lughnasadh Myths

One of the older names for this sabbat is Lughnasa, often translated as “the marriage of Lugh.” And there’s a deep sense of sacred romance woven into this time. Some traditions say that during the full moon of August, Lugh, the bright sun god, and the Earth Mother renew their vows, blessing the land through their union.it represents a celebration of love, abundance, and the harmony between earth and sky.

Long before Lugh became the central figure, this time of year may have belonged to the Corn Mother and her dying son or lover. In older myths, she offers him to the land as a sacrifice so life may continue. Her grief transforms her into the Mater Dolorosa, the Sorrowful Mother, while the grain falls and returns to the soil, waiting to rise again.

But the most well-known story linked to Lughnasadh isn’t about a wedding, it’s about remembrance. Many versions of the myth speak of the funeral games that Lugh held in honor of his foster mother, Tailtiu. Tailtiu had once been queen of the Fir Bolg, and after they were overthrown, she married into the Tuatha Dé Danann. According to legend, she died from exhaustion after clearing the lands of Ireland for farming. To honor her sacrifice, Lugh established the Fair of Tailtean, a great gathering filled with feasts, contests, and community rituals. This wasn’t considered just a legend. The fair was real, held each year on August 1st in what is now County Meath, near the place believed to be Tailtiu’s grave. It was one of the most important festivals in ancient Ireland.

The word Lughnasa itself can be interpreted as “the games or assembly of Lugh.” Across the Celtic world, from Ireland to Gaul and Britain, early August was marked by great gatherings in his name. These festivals included tribal meetings, athletic games, horseracing, and ceremonies to ensure a good harvest and to open the hunting and fishing seasons. At Telltown, the Tailtiu Games included events like spear-throwing (gaelbolga), stone-throwing, high jumping, triple jumping (geal-ruith), and even a ritual wheel toss (roth-deas). These competitions likely came from much older harvest rites, later merged with Lugh’s myth as his worship spread. The final recorded Tailtiu Games took place on August 1st, 1169, during the reign of Ruraigh Ó Conchobar, the last High King of Ireland. Though the games have ended, their spirit lingers in every festival fire, every loaf of harvest bread, and every quiet moment of thanks offered to the land.

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Lammas and Corn Dollies

There was once a deep belief that the spirit of the corn must be kept safe from one harvest to the next, to ensure the fields would thrive again. The very last sheaf cut held the heart of the corn’s life force, hidden away in that final bundle. Harvesters approached it with care and respect, often calling it “The Neck” or “The Mare”, and with a steady hand and a solemn cry, “I have the neck”, they freed it from the stalks.

That last sheaf was carefully woven into a corn dolly, a little figure meant to hold the spirit safe through the winter months. This small creation was honored and protected, waiting until spring. At Imbolc, bits of corn would be taken from the dolly and planted back into the earth, breathing new life into the soil.

This tradition is ancient, stretching back thousands of years, even the Egyptians made corn dollies as symbols of life and renewal. For the Celts, these woven figures were sometimes called “holy brides of the corn”, a living symbol of the earth’s blessing.

Each region developed its own style and patterns, from shapes like chandeliers and horns to horseshoes and stars. The ribbons that tied them held their own meanings too, yellow for the sun’s warmth, red for sacrifice, blue for love, green for wisdom, and white for strength. For modern Pagans, creating a corn dolly is a sacred act of honoring the harvest.

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Life and Death of Lughnasadh

Even though August still holds the warmth of summer, Lughnasadh quietly marks the turning of the wheel, since Midsummer, the days have slowly begun to shorten. This sabbat reminds us that we are moving toward the end of the season, step by step. Lughnasadh is the first of three harvest festivals, it opens the path toward Mabon, the great gathering of abundance, and finally to Samhain, when the last of the harvest is taken in. For now, the world is still full of green leaves, tall grain, and the life of young animals, but underneath all this, there’s the first whisper of change. This is also the time when we begin to think about death, not in fear, but as part of the cycle. In one of the old myths, Lugh must travel to the Underworld to defeat Bres, the god of death, his victory brings life back to the land, just like how the grain must fall in order to feed us. The harvest is a gift, but it is also a letting go, what was once alive must now be cut, gathered, and transformed. That’s the quiet truth at the heart of Lughnasadh, life and death walk together through the golden fields. Some say that Lugh becomes the lord of the waning year, and that his steps through the tall, whispering grain are a quiet dance of death. If that's true, then it's not something to fear, it’s a reminder that all things move in circles, and that endings are always part of something beautiful.

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The August Herbs

In parts of Northern Europe, the night before Lughnasadh was seen as the perfect time to create a special charm known as the August Herbs, if gathered in the right way, this bundle of summer plants was said to bring blessings that lasted through the year, protection against storms and dark magic, support during transitions, help in love, and even comfort in birth or in letting go at the end of life.

To gather the herbs with their full power, tradition said to pick them just before sunrise, in silence, some even believed the ritual should be done bare, in full openness to the earth, though over time, many simply went barefoot and uncovered their head, letting the morning air and dew touch their skin.

What mattered most was intention, moving gently through the fields or garden, listening to the quiet, and allowing the plants to speak, the bundle would later be hung in the home, placed on the altar, or kept close as a charm, holding the light and energy of that sacred morning, long after summer has faded.

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Magic Correspondences

Planets: Sun, Mercury

Season: Midpoint between Summer and Autumn

Element: Earth, Fire

Time Of The Day: Evening

Tarot Cards: Strength, The Sun, Seven of Pentacles, Ten of Pentacles, Four of Wands, Justice, Wheel of Fortune

Colors: Gold, Yellow, Green, Brown, Red, Royal Purple, Heather Purple, Bronze

Herbs: Blackberry, Bilberry, Allspice, Basil, Fennel, Rosemary, Garlic, Bay, Wheat

Fruits: Pears, plums, peaches, grapes, apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries

Vegetables: Corn, Root Vegetables, Squash, Potatoes, Cucumber, Tomatoes, Onion, Beans

Crystals: Tiger’s eye, Amber, Rutilated quartz, Citrine, Clear quartz, Golden topaz, Carnelian, Onyx, Aventurine, Cat’s eye

Runes: Jera, Sowilo, Wunjo

Trees: Apple, Hazel, Oak, Holly

Goddesses: Cailleach Bheur, Ana, Arianrhod, Artemis, Ceres, Corn Maiden, Cybele, Danu, Demeter, Diana, Inanna, Isis, Morrigan, Ops, Pomona, Persephone, Proserpina, Rhiannon, Tailtiu, Cerridwen, Brigid

Gods: Adonis, Gofannon, Hades, Hephaestus, Lugh, Mithras, Ninurta, Odin, Osiris, Set, Helios, Thor, Vulcan, Loki, Dionysus, Vertumnus, Apollo, Xiuhtecuhtli

Dragons: Fafnir

Flowers: Honeysuckle, Marigold, Sunflower, Gladiola, Poppy, Rose, Aster, Cornflower, Vervain, Lavender, Heather

Animals: Swan, Lion, Boar, Cat, Raven, Goat, Dog, Owl, Bear, Fox, Salmon, Horse, Cow, Eagle, Rooster, Ram, Snake, Stag, Hare, Bull, Wolf, Robin, Crane, Sow, Sheep, Otter

Magical Powers: Harvest, Gratitude, Abundance, Protection, Personal Transformation, Honoring Ancestors, Making Offerings, Reflection, Introspection, Discernment, Prosperity, Communication with the Dead, Renewal, Sacrifice, Death

Symbols: Corn dolly, Rowan cross, Cornucopia, Pentacle, Staff, Stang, Sickle, Flail, Wheel, Sun, Bread.

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Activities to do:

🌽 Make a Lammas loaf or other special bread. Before putting the loaf in the oven, dip a brush in milk and write on the crust what you desire most. You can also bake pastries, pies, or braided bread with solar or witchy symbols, and enjoy them while still warm.

🌾 Eat seasonal food made with ingredients like grains, fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Corn with butter is a perfect choice for this time :D

🌽 Cook something traditional and share a meal with loved ones using what you’ve grown in your garden.

🌾 Decorate your altar with seasonal fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

🌽 Practice sun magick.

🌾 Make a sun catcher to bring solar energy into your life.

🌽 Make sunflower crowns

🌾 Collect or buy some sunflowers. Dry the petals to use in spells for prosperity, luck and happiness.

🌽 Visit a farmer’s market and support local harvests.

🌾 Spend time in nature. Wake up early and take a peaceful walk, maybe you’ll hear roosters if you live in a rural area.

🌽 Tend your garden by trimming dry grass, collecting it for hay, and preparing the soil.

🌾 Harvest your first fruits or vegetables, and preserve anything you want to keep for winter.

🌽 Make a Lammas wreath using herbs, flowers, or grains.

🌾 Collect August herbs, seeds, and wild plants or berries. Let the herbs dry to use later in the year.

🌽 Face paint with bright colors, Celtic symbols, or Lughnasadh designs, or like a Celtic warrior :D

🌾 DIY a theatre mask for fun or ritual use.

🌽 Have a bonfire in the evening, and maybe dance around it.

🌾 Have a feast with your loved ones.

🌽 Make offerings to gods and ancestors

🌾 Play Lughnasadh games to honor strength and the harvest, like slap hands, horseshoes, archery, or arm wrestling. For a cozy option, play card games or board games.

🌽 Take time to connect with the dead.

🌾 Celebrate your successes so far this year, and reflect on what you’ve learned and achieved.

🌽 Do a gratitude journaling session to focus on the good things in your life.

🌾 Meditate and ground in the sun

🌽 Connect with the crystals associated with Lammas

🌾 Wear the colors of the sabbat.

🌽 Make a Lughnasadh magick jar with seasonal symbols.

🌾 Perform abundance and success spells.

🌽 Honor solar deities, especially the god Lugh.

🌾 Leave water outside for animals, and don’t forget to stay hydrated yourself.

🌽 Gather seasonal grains such as wheat, corn, oats, rye, barley, or onion to honor the harvest’s abundance.

🌾 Create a corn mother or a corn dolly using corn husks, reeds, or wheat from the first harvest.

🌽 Light a golden, orange, or yellow candle to welcome the light of the sabbat.

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Food and Drinks:

Fresh bread, soda bread, bannock, oat meal, potatoes, root vegetables, corn on the cob, sweetcorn, popcorn, wheat, rye, oats, fresh berries, apples in all forms, such as apple cider, apple cake, apple compote, apple pie, apple charlotte, mashed apples, baked apples, preserves, applesauce, fresh apples, grapes, vine leaves, fruity berry wines, fresh fruit, home-grown vegetables, soups, salads, salmon, oysters, basil, borage, fennel, summer pudding, nut pies, fruit pies, berry jams, preserves, potluck dishes, outdoor feast, peaches and apricots jams, fruit tarts, honey, tomatoes, cucumbers, mushrooms, pears, roasted meat, venison, fried meats, corn fritters, butter, pizza, barley cakes, wheat, squash, corn bread muffins, blackberries, blackberry cake, chia seeds, what beer, fruit and veggie salads, sour dough

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Your prayer is perfect the way it is

Your altar does not have to be extravagant or expensive. Simple ones are just as powerful.