Next: 1 Aug 2027
Lughnasadh and Lammas
The first-fruits of the grain harvest: hilltop climbs, bilberries and the Lammas loaf blessed in the church.
When is Lughnasadh and Lammas in 2027?
Lughnasadh and Lammas 2027 is on Sunday, 1 August 2027. Other years: 2026, Saturday, 1 August 2026; 2028, Tuesday, 1 August 2028.
About Lughnasadh and Lammas
Lughnasadh, on 1 August, is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals and marks the beginning of the harvest. It is named for the god Lugh. In Ireland the day was traditionally kept with gatherings on hilltops and by lakes, with climbing, games, matchmaking and picnics of the first berries, bilberries or fraughans. The custom survives in Croagh Patrick's pilgrimage on the last Sunday of July, known as Reek Sunday, with tens of thousands of climbers, many barefoot, to reach the summit. In England the day is Lammas, "loaf-mass", a feast of the first-fruits when loaves made from the new wheat were taken to church to be blessed. Fairs, such as the Puck Fair in Killorglin, Kerry, and the Lammas Fair in Ballycastle, are still held in August.
Lughnasadh and Lammas dates: 2026, 2027, 2028
| Year | Lughnasadh and Lammas date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Saturday, 1 August 2026 |
| 2027 | Sunday, 1 August 2027 |
| 2028 | Tuesday, 1 August 2028 |
What is eaten
- bilberries
- new bread
- fraughan cake
Traditions of Lughnasadh and Lammas
Also part of it, and being written: Lugh (The god of the festival.), Croagh Patrick (The pilgrimage mountain.).
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Background: "Lughnasadh" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Lammas: Paddy, CC BY-SA 3.0, source