The eight sacred Celtic holidays of the year including the winter solstice - PHOTOS

When the ancient Druid customs and Christianity mesh

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Autumnal Equinox

Similar to the St. Patrick ’s Day festival it celebrates when night and day are of equal duration and usually falls in the middle of Autumn, around September 21. The symbol of the scared day is the cornucopia as all the harvest is collected and the stocks for winter is hoped to be plentiful.

Samhain

This day falls between two days Oíche Shamhna (October 31st) and Lá na Marbh (November 1st). Oíche Shamhna is Halloween and Lá na Marbh, is the Day of the Dead, or All Souls Day, when those who have passed away are remembered. It marks the beginning of the “darker half” of the year as the winter approaches.

READ MORE- Top ten Irish traditions for Halloween

Winter Solstice

The winter solstice celebrates the shortest day of the year and dependant on the calendar occurs between December 21-23. Annually hundreds of people gather in Newsgrange, Co. Meath, Ireland to watch the sunrise and magically illuminate the ancient burial site.

READ MORE - Historic importance of the lunar eclipse and winter solstice at Newgrange

PHOTOS - Eight Celtic holidays photo gallery

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