Irish New Year traditions that span the centuries

How to ring in 2012 the Celtic way

CATHY HAYES,

IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Saturday, December 31, 2011, 7:20 AM

Updated Friday, January 11, 2013, 10:55 AM

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sallyorob | Jan 10, 2012, 08:30 AM EST

Good article except that the Irish are a people and a whiskey, not a place. "Ireland" is home to New Year's traditions, not "Irish." And I'll take my Irish straight, thank you.

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Bert Dugan | Jan 01, 2012, 11:51 AM EST

My father went outside about five to twelve to put a few coins on the window sill, then he re-entered at midnight so the first man to enter in the new year had black hair. Also, we always ate pork on New Years Day and never chicken because pigs root forward and chickens scratch backwards

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LaoiseRyan | Jan 01, 2012, 09:02 AM EST

Im from rural Ireland and I have never ever heard of any of these traditions and my great granny was alive for years!

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brianmack | Dec 31, 2011, 07:25 PM EST

Extraordinary piece of work! I came from four sides/Irish and a New Years tradition, in our Rockaway Beach, NY home was never to be half in and half out. That meant it wasn't going to be a good year if you returned from New Year's festivities half on the porch and half in the vestibule. Not good and usually meant a problem with the drink.

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gaell1gan | Dec 31, 2011, 03:50 PM EST

My Nana always opened the front & back windows of the house, sort of like the above story. But her reasoning was more about letting the good "pishogues" in to chase the bad ones out. Happy New Year!

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mixplix | Dec 31, 2011, 09:25 AM EST

In our house a bayberry candle burned to the socket brought luck to the house and gold to the pocket. I miss this tradition very much.

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