Tradition of Bonfire Night is still alive across Mayo

by Auld Stock

BONFIRE night was a great occasion in towns and villages right across Ireland in times past.

For a variety of reasons, bonfires have lost some of their appeal. The burning of tyres was rightly banned some years ago.

Environmental laws have also had an adverse effect on fires in public places.

Bonfire night was traditionally known as St. John’s night.

For weeks preceding bonfire night youngsters headed for local bogs to collect turf.

Householders also took advantages of the bonfires to dispose of old pieces of furniture.

Bonfires were usually lit at night and the dying embers of the fires lasted until the early hours of the morning.

Local singers came to the fore on bonfire night. Long before the modern ‘three tenors’ were heard of, Castlebar had Chas. Guthrie, Paddy McGinty and Larry Burke who sang their hearts out at bonfires.

Older people took coals from the bonfires and placed them in the fire in their kitchen.

It was a custom that went back hundreds of years and it was said it brought good luck to their homes.

Bonfires nowadays are much smaller than in the past.

Over the years Ireland has lost many its customs, some of them going back hundreds of years.

To paraphrase the words of the famous World War 1 song, keep the bonfires burning.

* Bonfire Night takes place this year on June 23.