1. In modern
Pagan practice, one of the festivals of the eightfold
year-wheel, usually celebrated on or about August 1. The day is also known by the English name of
Lammas. Lughnasadh is derived from an old Irish festival of the same name, celebrated in late summer with horse races and temporary “teltown marriages” that lasted for one year.
In modern Irish Gaelic, Lughnasadh is the name for the month of August.
2. The first in the trilogy of harvest festivals in ancient
Celtic culture. It marked the beginning of the harvest season and the decline of summer into winter. It was also known as
Lammas from the Saxon word
Hlaf-mass, the Feast of Bread. Festivities and rituals typically centered around the assurance of a bountiful harvest season and the celebration of the harvest cycle.