Calendar

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The Celtic Calendar

The oldest known Celtic calendar was discovered in Coligny, France.  It was one large stone plate and compiled of thirteen months in accordance with the moon cycles.  An additional month was added every two and half years in order to keep the months aligned with the solar calendar.  The Celts divided the year into two halves, the dark and the light. Each day was measured from dusk to dusk and so was each year.  The year began at the beginning of the dark half of the year, with Samhain (October 31st).  The Solstices and Equinoxes were so important to the Celts and pre-Celts, they built monuments that aligned with these days and celebrated half quarters with festivals.  Agriculture was a matter of life and death and the major calendar events reflect the circle of agriculture.

  • Winter Solstice

  • Imbolc

  • Spring Equinox

  • Bealtaine

  • Summer Solstice

  • Lughnasadh

  • Autumn Equinox

  • Samhain

Samhain / Sauin / Kalen Gwav / Cal Gaeaf / Kalan goanv

Before Halloween, there was Samhain (SOW-win).  The Celts celebrated the new year the evening of October 31st to the evening of November 1st.  America's Halloween traditions are Celtic in origin.

Turnip LanterNs

Want to carve turnips like the Celts did?  Learn how with the video below.

The world is rich in diversity of culture.  In the United States, there is a meeting of many cultures and the ones people came from can be forgotten over generations.  


We strive to preserve Celtic heritage for Americans of Celtic descent so they may be connected to the threads of their past, present, and future.

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