Why bonfires blaze across Ireland on June 23rd

Analysis: the sight of St John's Eve bonfires on hilltops still provides quite a spectacle and reminds us of a pivotal time in the calendar

We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences Young and old were involved in gathering fuel for the fire; turf, furze, old hay and any waste materials were collected. Old bones were considered good fuel as these would burn for a long time . As with other European bonfire customs, people would preserve bones specifically to be burned in the bonfire, especially those of animals who had been sick, in the hope that it would somehow purify the rest of the herd of disease.

The midsummer bonfire was associated with luck and purification, and the tangible remains of the ashes were thought to be good fortune and spiritual cure for the year ahead. As the fire burned, a treat called 'goody' was served for the occasion in some regions: it was a mixture of bread in hot milk with sugar and spices. Early potatoes were sometimes roasted in the fire and shared.

On St John's Day itself, holy wells were visited and some fairs were held. It was believed herbs gathered on St John’s Day itself had an extra potency and would be reserved for use in folk medicine and divination, such as St John’s wort, foxgloves, mugwort and yarrow. It was customary for people to take their first swim of the year at this time. People predicted the weather too at this time of year with one saying predicting"Midsummer rain spoils hay and grain".

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