Tonight used to be the night of bonfires and the toasting of ale and the singing of songs. I don’t recall any remnants of it from my childhood, maybe more of a British thing. It’s too bad that many of the customs derived from the Old Ones aren’t in play yet today. We’ve given up our community customs in favor of TV and video games. The children too, no “kick the can” or “hide and go seek” for their evening play. To go sit on the front porch after supper was one of the highlights of the day in the summertime. To watch the children play, to sip some lemonade, to see the fireflies—what simple joys.

As posted by Spirit of Old

“June 23rd, is St. John’s Eve, or as it is known in many parts of Ireland, Bonfire Night. It was traditionally marked by the construction of large fires throughout the countryside. These were lit at sundown and were the focal point of communal festivities. People gathered to dance and sing, while young men proved their bravery by leaping through the flames.

The night was also rich in folklore, much of it concerned with fertility. Prayers and rhymes were recited to ensure a plentiful harvest. Indeed, the fire itself was thought to have magical powers. Burning weeds in its flames would prevent arable fields from becoming overgrown, while scattering its ashes would guarantee the land’s fertility. Similarly parading through the fields with lighted branches from the bonfire would protect the crops from disease and pestilence. It was also deemed particularly lucky to bring the ashes home to light the kitchen hearth.

Although most of these customs are no longer practised, lighting St. John’s bonfires still takes places in many parts of Ireland (especially the west). It is hardly a coincidence that these fires are lit so close to the Summer Solstice and it suggests that the custom may have ancient roots.”