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Sa lá atá inniu ann, lastar na tinte cnámha ar an 23 Meitheamh nuair atá an
ghrian ag dul faoi ach bhí áiteanna in Éirinn ann
fadó inár lásadh na tinte ar Mhaidin Fhéile Eoin.
Thug daoine An Síol Thine nó Tine Eoin
ón tine mhór timpeall go dtí gach teach chun
an tine a lasadh. D’fhanfadh na daoine ag tabhairt aire
don tine go dtí théis meán oíche. Giolla an
Tine a tugadh ar an té a bhíodh i gceannas ar an tine.
Dúirt
siad paidreacha ar mhaithe le grásta Dé agus
barranna maithe a bheith acu an bhliain sin.
Bhí nós ann tinte ciorclacha a lasadh ag toibreacha
beannaithe. Dúirt siad
paidreacha do na mairbh agus ina dhiaidh sin a
thosaigh an cheol, damhsa agus cluichí.
‘’In onóir do Dhia agus do Naomh Eoin
Agus chun toraidh agus chun tairbhe ar ár gcuid
saothar
In ainm an Athar agus an Mhic agus an Spiorad Naomh.’
Bhí nós ann fadó freisin
an luatha a scaipeadh ar na páirceanna. Chaití
an tsalachair is measa a bhí ag fás ar a gcuid
talaimh nó sa ghairdín ar an tine. Cheap
siad nach mbeadh fadhb an tsalachair chomh
dona an bhliain sin dá ndéanfaí cuid acu a dhódh.
In
áiteanna i Luimneach bhí nós ag na daoine snámh
trasna na habhann ar Lá Fhéile Eoin – cheap siad go mbeidís sábháilte ón mbá
go brách dá bharr – ná bainigí triall as an
gceann seo le bhúr dtoil.
Má bhí sé de mhíádh ort go raibh do theach tógtha ar ‘chosán sídhe,’
lasadh tinte bheaga ar a gcosán an oíche sin.
Dhóidís rudaí áirithe sa tine chun an
mhí-ádh agus piseoga a cheansú. Dhóití sean-scapular,
nó sean-paidríní.
Chaitheadh an duine is sinne
nó an duine is óige uisce coisricthe ar an ábhar tine i dtosach sular
lasadh é.
I mbailte áirithe bhíodh tine mhór amháin ann don phobal nó don pharóiste
uilig. Bhíodh ceiliúradh mhór ceol agus damhsa acu.
Théidís ó theach go teach ag lorg ábhar don tine.
Bhíodh na fir óga ag tarraingt maidí lasta amach as an
tine agus a gcaitheamh san aer chomh hard is a bhí
siad in ann.
In áiteanna eile bhíodh tine bheag ag gach teaghlach nó ar gach fheirim.
Is ar mhaithe leis an fheirim a chosaint a las siad siad
na tinnte seo.
Bhíodh na daoine óga ag léim thar tine aitinn ar mhaithe le:
-
aistir fada a dhéanamh go
sábháilte
-
glanadh roimh phósadh
-
roimh rud contúirteach a
dhéanamh
-
chun fir chéile maithe a
fháil
-
i ndeisceart cúige Laighean,
léimeadh cailín agus buachaill thairis agus iad
i ngreim lámh lena chéile
-
Léimidís thar na tine ar
mhaithe le sláinte, fad saoil, bheith sábháilte
ó thimpistí, ó thinnis agus ó ghalair thógálacha
Cheap na daoine freisin gur shábháil an tine iad ón
‘ndroch shúl.’
Fainic thú fhéin ar an ndroch shúl
Céard
a bheas ar siúl go h-áitiúil i mbliana?
Beidh ceiliúradh Oíche Fhéile Tine Sheáin
ar siúl ar an 21 Meitheamh i Ráth Chairn. Beidh
tine, ceol, amhránaíocht agus damhsa taobh amuigh
den Áras Pobal.
Bíonn an lá patrúin go dtí Tobar Eoin i Warrenstown
i gCo. na Mí ar an Domhnach is gaire d’Fhéile Naomh
Eoin atá ar an 23 Meitheamh. Ciallaíonn sin gur ar
an 27 Meitheamh a bheidh an patrúin i mbliana.
Féach nuachtlitir na bliana seo chaite:
http://www.athbui.com/Nuachtlitir%20Meitheamh%202008.htm
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In modern times the bonfires are lit at sundown on
the 23 June but there were places in
Ireland long ago where the fires were lit on the
morning of St. Johns Day. ‘Johns Fire’ was
taken from the bonfire to ever house to lite the
'hearth fires.' The people would stay at the bonfire
until after midnight. The man in charge of the fire
was called ‘Giolla an Tine’ or the servant of the
fire.
They said prayers for the grace of God and a good
harvest that season. There was a tradition of
lighting fires in a circle around holy wells.
Prayers were said for the dead, after which the
celebrations, music’ dancing and games began.
In honour of God and St. John,
and for a good result for our labour, in the name of
The Father, Son, and holy Ghost.
There was a tradition of
spreading the ash from the fire on the fields and
they would also throw some of their most troublesome
garden and farm weeds onto the fire. They believed
that if some of these weeds were burned in Johns
Fire, they would not be as troublesome in the coming
year.
In parts of Limerick there was a tradition of
swimming across the river on St. Johns Day – they
believed that it would protect them from drowning
for ever- please don’t try it.
If you were unlucky enough that your house was built
on a ‘fairy path,' small fires were lit on the path
on John's Night. They would burn items such as an
old scapular or old rosary beads against bad luck
and ‘piseoga.’ The youngest or the oldest in the
family would sprinkle holy water on the sticks
before they were lit.
In some
districts there was one big bonfire for the
community with music and dancing. They would go
from house to house gathering material for the
fire. Young men would pull lighting sticks from the
fire and throw them as high in the air as the
could.
In other areas a smaller fire was lit by each family on each farm. These smaller fires were to
protect the farm.
The young people
would jump over fires of furze:
- for a safe journey
- before marriage
- before undertaking
something dangerous
- to find a good husband
- in South Leinster, boys
and girls would hold hands and jump over the
fire.
-
they jumped the fire
for good health, long life, to be safe from
accidents and sickness.
People also believed the fire
would protect them from ‘an drochshúl,’ or ‘evil
eye.’ Be careful of the ‘drochshúl.’
What will be
happening locally
this year?
The
festival and BBQ will be held this year on Sunday 21
June at the Áras Pobal in Ráth Chairn. There will be
music, singing and dancing around the fire.
The St. Johns Well Pattern Day in Warrenstown in Co.
Meath is held on the Sunday nearest to the 23 June,
St. Johns Day. This means that the pattern will
take place this year on the 27 June.
Féach nuachtlitir na bliana seo chaite:
http://www.athbui.com/Nuachtlitir%20Meitheamh%202008.htm
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