irish

Imbolc

hrukjanLeave a comment

Imbolc Snow Moon hails!

Sunny weather today (Feb.1) implies the Winter Goddess Cailleach is out collecting more firewood and that Winter is to be prolonged. This observation would have been common to the various Celtic peoples of the British Isles and would have given them insight into what to prepare and plan for. 

In America, this tradition is carried over in the form of Groundhog Day. This observance is identical to the Celtic Winter Goddess tradition because it is said that if the groundhog sees his shadow on Feb.2 (implying the sun is shining), we can expect six more weeks of Winter. If he does not see his shadow, it’s because the weather is poor and it is believed that Winter will end early. This tradition was brought over by German immigrants who used to observe the shadows of badgers or hedgehogs to judge the remaining duration of Winter. 

You can see why this time of year is observed as significant, as it is the beginning of the transition into Spring, which holds many spiritual connotations for animistic religions and those who work the land or raise animals. 

For us here in Western New York, it looks like Winter is not going anywhere anytime soon. So, we will plan accordingly!

Good Imbolc to all!

Hungry Grass

The Norway SpruceLeave a comment

In honor of the season and the veil soon thinning, I have taken to studying more macabre and spooky plant lore for fun.

I hope that you enjoy this first tale.

Hungry grass, also known as Féar Gortach is said to be a patch of grass that is indistinguishable from any other section of grass. However, it is said to be cursed by the dead that lay buried underneath.
Should you stand or walk upon hungry grass, you will be overtaken by weakness and hunger.

Variations of the hungry grass story tell of a person stepping upon the grave or burial plot of a victim from An Gorta Mór (the Great Famine) of the 1840’s. The Irish term “féar gorta” can be more accurately translated as “famine grass” rather than “hungry grass.”

This myth may be a folklore manifestation of the historical trauma suffered during the Great Famine (An Gorta Mór) of the 1840’s. When the Famine took hold, men, women and children were left to starve to death as a direct result of the Potato Blight and a misuse of resources under British Government rule at the time.

Over one million people died in poverty, starvation and agony. These poor souls were thrown into mass graves, usually in fields. These spaces became known as “Famine Graveyards”.

The grass eventually grew over the buried bodies and it was said to be cursed.

When scientific reasoning wasn’t particularly widespread, it was probably a fair attempt at rationalizing the unexplained deaths or episodes of fainting that would occur from time to time due to malnutrition.

An alternative version of the hungry grass tale relates that anyone walking through it is struck by temporary hunger. In order to safely cross the grass, one must carry a bit of food to eat along the way such as a sandwich or crackers and some ale.

In a few rare accounts, the hungry grass is said to actually devour humans.

There was the idea that the hungry grass may also eat crops too. Before the term “hungry grass” was coined, people thought that a spirit of a man was, in fact, eating people. The word “féar” in Irish is both “man” and “grass”. So, Hungry Man came to be because they feared him. It was said that if you give relief to Hungry Man, you will enjoy unfailing prosperity, even during the worst periods of famine and death.

Although the hungry grass superstition is outdated nowadays and seems very specific to Ireland, it has a lot of narrative appeal.

Beware the hungry grass!