Nettlemas

Nettlemas is an ancient Irish holiday, celebrated on the first of May. In Irish, it is called Féile na Neantóg. The preceding day, 30 April, is Nettlemas night. Nettlemas night is sometimes referred to as only Nettlemas, which might cause confusion about the date of the holiday. On Nettlemas night, boys walked in the streets stinging one another with nettles.

Noted anthropologist James Mooney mentions it in his The Holiday Customs of Ireland (1889).^[1]

References

1. ^ Mooney, J. The Holiday Customs of Ireland – review in Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society (1889)

• Hall, S. C., Mr and Mrs, Ireland, Its Scenery, Character &c, 1841.

External links