The Unluckiest Date in Aviation - July 17th, a dark day to fly.

There are certain dates in the year which seem to bring coincidences, synchronicities and bad luck, July 17th is one of those dark days for the aviation industry, both military and commercial. More air crashes and incidents have occurred on July 17th over the years than on any other date, including the infamous TWA Flight 800 and MH-17 flights. Settle in for an exhaustive (exhausting?!) run-through which makes the mind boggle, and I have missed out so many smaller incidents!

1935 - Iran

A ‘Douglas DC-2-115E’ named ‘Maraboe’ owned by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines crashed on take-off from Bushehr Airport, the 12 people on board (4 crew and 8 passengers) escaped unhurt before the plane caught fire.

1943 - Incidents involving United States Navy and Army Air Force.

• U.S Navy ‘Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina’ aircraft took off from Henderson Field to undertake an anti-shipping search amd patrol operation, at 1am the port engine caught fire and the airplane landed in the sea just off Vella Lavella Island. All 13 on board survived.

• U.S Navy ‘Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina’ disappeared over the Gulf of Mexico during a military exercise, it was never found and is classed as missing with 8 personnel on board.

• Grenada - ‘Douglas C-53 Skytrooper (DC-3)’ owned by the United States Army Air Force suffered a mid-air collision with a Douglas C-47-DL (DC-3) also owned by the USAAF. The wing of one aircraft collided with the fuselage of the other, locking the planes together resulting in the crash and loss of 10 lives.

1945 - India

• ‘Consolidated C-109 Liberator Express’ aircraft owned by the United States Army Air Force was reported missing after taking off from the Jorhat-Rowriah Airport. The plane was part of the 1330 Army Air Base Unit, Air Transport Command and had 4 crew members on board at the time of its disappearance, no explanation was ever given.The wreckage was eventually found decades later on October 22, 2007 at an elevation of 8227 feet.

  Mindoro Island, Philippines

• A ‘Curtiss C-46D-10-CU Commando’ aircraft owned by the USAAF crashed transporting cargo. The airplane hit a mountain on the north-western tip of Mindoro Island in bad weather conditions, 8 crew were lost.

1946 - Ecuador

A ‘Curtiss C46-D-10-CUD-Commando’ scheduled passenger flight crashed on approach 1,6 km from Cuenca Airport killing all 30 people on board. After attempting to land, the pilot carried out a ‘go-around’, the aircraft didn’t gain enough height and tragically crashed into a hill.

1950 - India

Indian National Airways airplane ‘Douglas C-47A-90-DL (DC-3)’ crashed en-route to Srinagar Airport during turbulence roughly 10km from Pathankot. All occupants 22 were killed.

1951 - Egypt

An R.A.F ‘Vickers Valetta C.1’ was destroyed after an issue with a propeller forced the crew to make an emergency belly-landing, all crew survived.

1953 - USA

A U.S Navy operated ‘Fairchild R4Q-2 Flying Boxcar (C-119F)’ just after take-off from Milton-Whiting Field, where it had stopped to refuel while transporting Reserve Officers' Training Corps students from summer training in Texas. Tragically 44 of the 46 persons on board were killed.

1955 - USA

Braniff International Airways owned ‘Convair CV-340-32’ crashed on approach to Chicago-Midway Airport killing 22 of the 43 people on board. The crew had requested a weather report which stated half mile visibility, the Convair descended too low and collided with a sign, then crashed through the airport boundary fence in flames and came to a stop.

1958 - Argentina

• A ‘Douglas C-47A-75-DL Skytrain’ crashed on take-off at Río Cuarto Airport following an engine failure, no fatalities were reported.

  Dominican Republic

• 2 people were killed when a ‘Curtiss C-46A-60-CK Commando’ plane crashed on take-off destined for Miami. It was reported that the aircraft stalled while climbing.

1960 - Jamaica

A Cuban Aviation owned ‘Vickers Viscount’ aircraft was hijacked after leaving Havana, when the captain (!) drew a gun and forced the co-pilot to divert to Jamaica. He claimed political asylum as a "refugee" from the Castro Government. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

1963 - Laos

An Air America ‘Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando’ cargo plane crashed into a hillside in fog during a supply dropping mission in Northern Laos, all 6 crew died.

1965 - Japan

Japan Maritime Self Defence Force owned ‘Lockheed P2V-7 Neptune’ aircraft crashed into the ocean 70 miles southeast of Tokyo following a fire on board, all 11 crew perished.

1967 - USA

United States Air Force ‘Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker’ crashed on take-off after the plane over rotated and stalled. 1 of the 5 people on board died.

1968 - Cuba

A‘McDonnell Douglas DC-8 plane was hijacked after leaving Los Angeles International Airport bound for Miami, Somewhere over Texas, the hijacker pulled out a hand grenade (later proved to be a fake) and a pistol and demanded to be flown to Cuba. The aircraft stopped to refuel in New Orleans before continuing to Cuba. No casualties.

1973 - Norway

A really lucky escape for the 60 people on board the ‘Convair CV-640’ which landed/crashed at Tromso airport. It is reported that the plane landed heavily, bounced and came to rest nose-down with it’s landing gear partially collapsed … just 15 meters from the end of the runway!

1980 - United Kingdom

62 passengers and crew avoided disaster when the ‘Convair CV-640’ they were travelling on from Spain to Exeter, emergency landed a few miles short of Exeter airport near the village of Ottery St. Mary in Devon. Luckily the pilot knew the area and managed to find a safe landing site in a small grassy valley. On landing the fuel tanks were empty. The cause of the incident was found to be a combination of unreliable fuel gauges and the crew’s belief that they had enough fuel on board.

1983 - Cuba

Another hijacking! This time the 107 occupants of the Delta Airlines Boeing 727 en-route from Miami to Tampa were subjected to three hijackers brandishing knives and aerosol cans, a flight attendant was held with a knife to her throat otherwise there were no casualties. The plane diverted to Cuba as requested, where the three were taken into custody.

1994 - Martinique

6 people were killed when an ‘IRMA/Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B-26 Islander’ belonging to Air Martinique, lsf Trans Island Air crashed into a hillside on approach to Fort de France-Lamentin Airport.

1996 - TWA Flight 800 USA

Trans World Airlines’ Boeing 747-131 headed for Paris, carrying 230 people exploded just after taking off from JFK International Airport killing everyone on board. The body of the plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Long Island. An extensive investigation concluded that the probable cause was a center-wing fuel tank explosion, likely ignited by an electrical spark.

Kenya 5 crew members killed when a ‘de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo’ operated by the Tanzanian People's Defence Force crashed after take-off from Nairobi. The plane had been damaged and repaired a month before but it isn’t known if that was a factor.

1997 - Indonesia

28 of 50 persons on board the ‘Fokker F-27 Friendship 600’ died when it crashed on approach to Bandung-Husein Sastranegara Airport. After smoke was seen coming from an engine the crew attempted an emergency landing but the aircraft clipped roofs and a wall of a housing complex and crashed into a field.

1998 - Eritrea

Air Sofia, lsf Ukrainian Cargo Airways owned ‘Ilyushin Il-78’ cargo plane crashed on approach to Bourgas Airport after colliding with a hill killing all 10 on board.

2000 - United Kingdom

• CityFlyer Express flight 8106 was hijacked en-route to Gatwick Airport from Zurich. The hijacker was armed with a large pair of scissors and held a flight attendant by her hair with the blades to her throat. He apparently was upset over having failed to obtain asylum in Britain. He claimed to have a bomb and threatened to detonate it if not granted asylum. During the planes descent, the pilot left the cockpit, convinced the man to release the flight attendant, and calmed him down. The plane made an emergency landing at Gatwick and went to a remote area of the airport, where the hijacker was detained. No casualties.

• India

  A ‘Boeing 737-2A8 Advanced’ aircraft operated by Alliance Air crashed after losing control on approach to Patna Airport killing 55 of the 58 people on board plus 5 on the ground.

 2002 - Nepal

4 occupants of the ‘de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300’ owned by Skyline Airways died when the aircraft crashed into a hill shortly after take-off in bad weather.

2007 - Brazil

All 187 passengers and crew plus another 12 people on the ground were killed when the ‘Airbus A320-233’ operated by TAM Linhas Aéreas crashed while landing at São Paulo-Congonhas Airport. It overshot the runway colliding with a building then burst into flames, the crash became the worst aviation disaster in the country’s history.

2014 - Ukraine - Flight MH17

Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, was travelling over Ukraine on it suddenly disappeared from radar.

All 283 passengers (including 80 children) and 15 crew were killed.

The plane was brought down after being hit by a Russian Buk missile over eastern Ukraine, an investigation by the Dutch Safety Board (DSB) concluded in October 2015.

2015 - Greece

A Canadair CL-215-1A10 firefighting plane was in service near Faraklo when it had technical problems and was forced to land sustaining substantial damage, there were however, no injuries.

2023 - Poland

A ‘Cessna 208B Grand Caravan’ operated by Skydive Warsaw crashed into a hangar during part of a training flight - 1 of the 3 people on board died as well as 5 people on the ground.

Scores of aviation incidents happen every year of course, but there is a strangely high amount that occur on July 17th. Lets hope this year passes without incident, and we remember those lost in tragedies of years gone by.

Photo by Fotis on Unsplash

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The Great Molasses Flood of 1919 - Disaster hits Boston.

January 15th 1919 was an unseasonably mild day, by lunchtime, Boston’s North End was full of people out enjoying the weather as well as lots of workers going about their business. At around 12.30 - 1.00pm a low rumble could be heard, many assumed it was a train or heavy vehicle, but a few minutes later the ground shook and the rumble turned into a roar. 

Disaster struck when a massive 50 foot tank of industrial grade molasses burst, sending 2.3 million U.S gallons of thick, sticky liquid through the streets at terrifying speeds of 35 miles per hour killing 21 people and injuring 150 more. The wave was reported at being around 25 feet high at it’s peak.

When the flood happened, it had such speed and energy that it moved buildings from their foundations, knocked the elevated train tracks down, lifted trucks and vehicles, throwing them into walls and suffocated people and horses where they fell.

The Elevated Train Tracks. Wired article, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Heroic rescue efforts happened immediately, cadets from the ‘USS Nantucket’ which was docked nearby, nurses from the Red Cross and the Boston Police department hurried to the scene to be met by an unimaginable task. The viscous and sticky nature of the molasses made getting to victims incredibly difficult. As well as drowning in the liquid, people had been thrown long distances, crushed by falling buildings and had been injured by large pieces of debris which had flown through the air. Conditions grew worse as night fell and temperatures dropped which caused the often foot-deep molasses to thicken, trapping people further where many asphyxiated. It has been noted that if the tragedy had struck in the warmth of summer the death toll would likely be much lower due to the liquid being thinner and able to spread much further away from the site.

The clean-up operation was an incredibly difficult job. Molasses had coated everything in its path making the removal of debris and damage nearly impossible. Salt-water from a fire boat in the harbour was used to break down the sugar syrup and sand could help soak some of it up. As well as the site itself, molasses had been tracked further away by vehicles and people involved in the rescue effort and clean-up so a vast area of the city had to be attended to. It was said that all of Boston was sticky - roads and pavements, subway train seats, shops, hospitals, payphones and people’s homes. Boston’s North End was ‘brown for months’ and residents reported the sweet smell for years after.

The molasses tank before it ruptured.The Bostonian Society, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The disaster happened at the Purity Distilling Company, 529 Commercial Street, where a huge amount of molasses was stored at the harbourside plant, unloaded from ships ready to be transferred to the Purity ethanol plant in Cambridge, Massachusetts and other distilleries. The molasses could be fermented to produce ethanol - a key ingredient in alcoholic drinks and munitions. It seems that several factors contributed to the tank rupture and the following disaster:

Firstly, the unseasonably warm weather. Temperatures has risen from well below freezing the night before, a fresh, large load of molasses had been delivered by ship the previous day which had been warmed to aid in transferring it, one theory is that the thermal expansion of the older, colder liquid already in the tank led to the tank bursting. Others speculated that the levels of fermentation inside the tank led to it failing.

It also seems the tank wasn’t fit for purpose from the day it was built. It was constructed quickly in 1915 to meet the increasing demand for industrial alcohol (distilled from molasses) to make dynamite and explosives for World War 1. Local residents knew it leaked, in fact local children would take cups and buckets to fill from the drips. When complaints were made, the Purity Distilling Company painted the tank brown to disguise the leaks. As well as questions about the integrity of the rivets used to hold the panels together, the steel body of the tank was not thick enough to safely hold that much volume and weight. A 2014 investigation found that the steel was half as thick as it should have been, and the chemical composition of the walls made them liable to cracking. Basic safety tests such as initially filling the tank with water to identify any leaks prior to use had not been done. U.S Industrial Alcohol who owned the tank was ultimately found liable.

In the aftermath, 119 people brought a class-action lawsuit against USIA who initially claimed the tank had been blown up by anarchists against the making of munitions, but this was disproven and the company’s responsibility was established after three years of investigation and hearings. The lawsuit is seen as a milestone in improving modern corporate regulations.

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Back to Blogger!

Hi all, after a brief foray with Substack I have decided to bring Moonlit Myths back to Blogger where I feel it belongs. I was always happy here, it's simple and friendly so why stray you ask? Well, a lot of people I follow on the socials have Substack accounts where they write newsletters, it was the place to write for a while for both celebs and non-celebs, but it's shiny gleam has worn off a bit with public opinion. I will stay there to read stuff, and I have some lovely subscribers gained from my own promotions, so will be keeping the account open with occasional updates, but this will once again be 'where its at' as the kids used to say. 

Substack has some good points such as helping to build an audience through its app and social media type platform, but to be honest I have never found much engagement from it. I post regularly on my own socials - Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon (now I have remembered that I had an account there) with often healthy likes, shares and comments, but when I post the same content on Substack there is nothing ... tumbleweed ... deafening silence. Life has enough rejection so why put myself through it?! 

Blogger has been sitting quietly in a corner, carrying on doing it's thing for so many years - a bit like me, so here we are again. To all those who say "blimey, is Blogger still a thing?" I shout a hearty "YES".

Over the coming days / weeks I'll be bringing some articles over from there to here so get back on track then keep an eye out for new, exciting things!

Take care, folks.

Dark Times - Fantasy Matters

 Since November we have had some very dark times - my lovely Mum passed away very unexpectedly and it left a huge void and a lot of shock. Fantasy and sci-fi helped enormously as a way to escape my brain and thoughts, reading and watching - namely the final season of The Expanse (I have since started reading the first book in the series), Merlin...again and season 2 of The Witcher.

 I didn't realise before how important the genres were - I mean they have always been my go to, X-Files has been a near-obsession in the past especially when it first came out, Buffy and a whole host of other great shows, but the actual importance of escapism and creativity with few of the 'real world' issues. Money, politics, celebrity, competition to name a few, are issues in today's society that fuel depression and feelings of inadequacy. In the realm of fantasy, sci-fi and other worlds, values like loyalty and friendship play a far greater role and this, I think gets forgotten. So read your favourite sagas, watch the shows and films if it helps you get through the day...and bugger what anyone else thinks!

Oddly, social media in the form of Twitter and Instagram helped, the people I follow as Moonlit Myths have an intrest in history, crime, high strangeness, paranormal and other fascinating subjects, and although I don't post much, reading through my timeline and looking at their posts makes me feel slightly less alone...so thank you. Facebook however is the last thing I have wanted to look at, and this will continue.

Take care.

This Week's Viewing Pleasure....

Hi folks, hope you are well (saying folks like anyone actually reads this lol) and happy. thought I would update you on what we have been watching this week - I do have a job, honestly!

I was a bit late to the party with one series, but got there in the end and now it is definitely in the top 5 best TV shows I have ever seen....the mighty GOTHAM. We finished watching it this week, and I am now in mourning that it is finished and there will be no more! What a show...the familiar characters played by an amazing cast, plot lines to keep anyone hooked, brilliant sub-plots and scenery. I am probably the last person to see it, but if you haven't I highly recommend it.

Another show we binged in 2 days was THE IRREGULARS - I am admittedly instantly drawn to anything Sherlock, dark historic London and the paranormal (obvious to anyone who follows Moonlit Myths) and this - despite my initial misgivings - was really good. Great scenery, enough twists and turns to keep the story moving and a talented cast...well worth a look.

Caught up on the last episode of season 2 of SNOWPIERCER...can't wait for season 3! Great drama and peril and so many "but what will happen to..."cliffhangers.

So those are the things we finished, I am currently on season 7 of Homeland and we are re-watching (again) Star Trek Next Generation so there is never a dull moment.

Take care!

Ghostly sightings of the Duke of Monmouth

On the 16th July each year it is reported that recurring sightings of the Duke of Monmouth can be seen in the woods at Horton in Dorset. The Duke was put to death at the Tower of London but his ghost is said to haunt the site of his failed rebellion, carrying his head in his hands.

Source: https://www.paranormaldatabase.com/

Typhoid Mary

Mary Mallon, also known as Mary Brown and famously as 'Typhoid Mary' died on this day in 1938. She was an Irish cook who moved to America in the late 1800's and one of the first people identified as an asymptomatic carrier - someone who can carry and pass on a disease without succumbing to it themselves - of a pathogen, in her case, typhoid fever. It is thought that she infected 51 people in her life, three of whom died. She was forcibly isolated twice by public health authorities after she refused to provide blood samples or cooperate.

Cases of typhoid fever followed Mallon wherever she worked as a cook, suspicions were alerted when incidents of typhoid occurred in areas when it was very rare. She died from pneumonia whilst in isolation where she had ultimately spent nearly 30 years of her life. During the post mortem, live typhoid bacteria were found in her gall bladder.

Tutankhamun's Tomb discovery.

On the 4th November 1922, Tomb KV62 was discovered in the East Valley of The Kings, Egypt. It would later be more commonly known as the tomb of the young Pharaoh Tutankhamun and would also be revered for the wealth of valuable antiquities found inside.

Howard Carter - the famed Egyptologist - was hired by Lord Carnarvon to excavate the tomb, which was discovered almost by accident when Carter's crew were clearing some debris and huts He had abandoned some years previously. A young water boy apparently tripped on a rock which later turned out to be the top stone of a flight of steps carved into the rocks.

The process of excavation took 8 long years to complete, partly down to the condition of the tomb which was small, hastily built and had been raided twice over the centuries, and in part due to Carter's meticulous cataloging of artifacts.

In the years following the revelation of Tutankhamun's tomb, several of the team, and visitors to the site died in unusual circumstances, talk of a curse was rife which would affect anyone who was involved in disturbing the resting place of the pharaoh. Arthur Conan Doyle perpetuated this apparently on the event of Lord Carnarvon's death suggesting 'an evil elemental' spirit was created by priests to protect the mummy, no curse was actually ever found in the tomb or sarcophagus.

Petronilla de Meath

Petronilla de Meath was the maid of noblewoman Dame Alice Kyteler. Following the death of Kyteler's fourth husband, she was accused of practicing witchcraft, and as her maid, Petronilla was accused of being her accomplice.

Poor Petronilla was taken and tortured until a 'confession' was forced from her stating that she and Alice were witches. She was then flogged and finally burned at the stake on this day in 1324 in Kilkenny, Ireland.
Petronilla became the first person to be put to death by fire for heresy in Ireland and Great Britain, many would follow.

Artist Judy Chicago featured a place setting for Petronilla at the table in her art installation 'The Dinner Party' which has the names of 39 mythical and historical women around it. It is on display in New York.

Guillotine first used on this day 1792

The sound of a shearing, falling blade is the stuff of nightmares and brings to mind a head falling into a waiting basket...portrayed in comedy, cartoon and horror films alike, however on the 25th April 1792 it was used for the first time in France for real.

The first 'customer' for the angled blade was highwayman Nicolas Jacques Pelletier and the guillotine (named after inventor Joseph-Ignace Guillotine) remained as France's principle method of execution right up until the abolition of capital punishment in 1981! Very much in living memory for those of us at a certain age.

The last person to be put to death by guillotine in France was Turkish farm worker Hamida Djandoubi also known as 'The Pimp Killer' on 10th September 1977, he was found guilty on all counts of horrific crimes which included the kidnapping, torture and murder of his ex-girlfriend Elisabeth Bousquet. This event was also the last time a western country executed an person by beheading.

Gorleston-on-Sea Black Dog

While on duty at the rescue headquarters on the 19th April 1972, Graham Grant is said to have watched a very large black dog running on the sand, it would stop every so often to look around, then before his eyes vanished in the middle of the beach!

There are lots of books about Norfolk Folklore, here's a good place to start:

On this day in 1857 - The Spirits Book.

On this day - April 18th in 1857 - the famous book, regarded as the most important in the spiritist movement was published, The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec.

It is composed mainly of a collection of questions about the origin of spirits, what the afterlife entails, the concepts of good and evil and ultimately the purpose of life. The answers were provided by a group of spirits who called themselves 'The Spirit of Truth' and he communicated with them in many sessions during the 1850's.

It contains many concepts that we still grapple with today, and is still available (on Amazon would you believe it?! See link below) including do spirits pre-exist and survive physical matter, are there good and evil spirits, reincarnation and guardian 'angels'. Fascinating stuff, and groundbreaking especially for the time.

The Hanging of Derek Bentley.

On the 28th January 1953 (very much in living history), Derek Bentley who was 19 was hanged for the murder of a policeman which was committed during an attempted robbery. The case sparked a huge public controversy and many people questioned the sentence and it's circumstances.

Bentley was proven to have many health and developmental issues and had been tested for such previous to and during the trial. He had epilepsy and a low I.Q, being described as "quite illiterate" with a reading age of just 4 1/2 years old. This obviously led to concerns about culpability and whether he was capable of recalling events accurately when questioned, especially under pressure.

At the time the murder was attributed to Bentley's friend and partner in crime Christopher Craig who was then aged 16, however this was later called into question and Bentley was convicted as a party to murder in no small part to a comment he is supposed to have made of "let him have it". Judge Chief Justice Goddard described Bentley as "mentally aiding the murder of Police Constable Sidney Miles" and sentenced him to death by hanging which was apparently the only suitable sentence.

Following many years of controversy and appeals by the family (his parents until their deaths then by his sister until hers) and many people caught up in the case Bentley was given a posthumous Royal pardon in 1993, his conviction was eventually quashed in 1998.

2019 already!

Hi folks, hope you had a fantastic festive period whatever you did and however you celebrated, I can't believe its 2019 already...I remember celebrating the millennium and it really doesn't seem that long ago!

There are many things planned for this year, mostly research for a book I am compiling as well as the usual keeping up to date with the stranger goings-on in the world...far too much time spent browsing on Twitter and not enough posting...can't see that changing to be honest.

Anyway, just checking in, first post of the year and all that. Incidentally today would have been Professor Stephen Hawking's 77th birthday, he was born 300 years to the day since Galileo died (plus he died on Einstein's birthday...spooky) men of science all linked in time, fascinating stuff.

Ludlow Castle and the ghost of Marion de la Bruyere.

Ludlow Castle is a stunning and imposing ruin that sits high on a perfect vantage point overlooking the River Teme. It is thought to have been founded by Walter de Lacy after the Norman Conquest and is one of the most impressive Medieval castles in England as well as being one of the first stone castles built here.

It is a very popular tourist destination being open for most of the year, it plays host to several events in the town including Ludlow's famous food festivals and it's Medieval Fayre each November. However for those of us with an interest in the darker side of things, Ludlow Castle also has it's fair share of haunting stories, the most famous being that of Marion de la Bruyere - a favourite tale to school children in the area who were all taught it...me included as it is my home town.

She dates right back to the 12th century when she was resident in the castle, at the time there were some soldiers imprisoned there from the enemy's side, one of these was Arnold de Lys with whom she fell in love. Following his exit from the castle they continued their affair in secret as he was on the side of the enemy, she would lower a rope from the battlements for him to climb and their visits continued. However one night he purposefully left the rope hanging down so it was available to his comrades who entered the castle and murdered many of it's inhabitants.

Marion was so distraught by his betrayal she grabbed his sword and killed him with it, then overcome by grief and guilt she threw herself from the top of Pendover Tower and fell to her death.

There have been since - right up to the present day - reports of her ghost at dusk. Some say it is seen reenacting her fall to death, screams have been heard and others recount that they have seen the ghost wandering at the base of the tower, whichever way, she still seems to be present in the ruins after all this time.

Ludlow Castle at dusk.

Lammas / Lughnasadh

Beginning at sunset on July 31st and ending at sunset on August 2nd is the sabbat or festival of Lughnasadh, commonly known as Lammas, it is the first harvest festival in the pagan calendar, the other two being at the autumn equinox (Mabon) in September and Samhain (Halloween) at the end of October.  

The first grain harvest is signalled by Lammas and much celebration is associated with it, it is told that the Sun god transfers his remaining light and warmth to the goddess Nass to ensure the continuing growth of crops; he will also protect the land and die defending it. Traditionally, soldiers and men who were working away from home would return just to help with the harvest and make sure all the grain was stored safe and dry before the autumn rains came so that the store would last until harvest the next year.  

There is a lot of tradition related to Lughnasadh, certain things are eaten, made and done for the festivities. Bread is very significant to the sabbat, to make bread on Lammas eve and stir it with family and friends whilst making a wish for the harvest you desire should ensure a good crop, to give some of the bread to the birds and then eat the rest of the loaf at breakfast on Lammas day will seal the ritual. Other foods that are important are nuts and fruit especially from local sources, homemade pies, elderberry wine and ale. Herbs associated with Lughnasadh are incorporated into decorations and meals, some of these are cornstalks, oak leaves, wheat, heather and acacia flowers.  

Decoration is an important and lovely way to personalise any festival and the most traditional decoration and symbol for Lammas are corn dollies or corn animals, in some rituals they are burnt as a sacrifice to the gods but most often they are placed on an altar or Lammas table display sometimes where the main meal will be eaten, or maybe on a mantelpiece. Together with candles in the colours of the land, golden yellows, oranges and greens, and dried grasses tied with ribbons, thanks are given to the gods and wishes for a continued spell of good weather for the harvest has more intensity. 

The Lughnasadh sabbat is said to be a perfect time for handfasting ceremonies, the ‘wedding’ of a couple in nature is very symbolic in pagan culture and there ceremonies are beautiful occasions. The marriage vows may be taken for a year and a day, a lifetime or for all of eternity. It is a joyous event with merriment and laughter way into the night! At the warmest time of year, with family and friends of the couple home for the harvest, together with the long summer evenings, the perfect handfasting scene is made. 

(This post is also on the blog at my site https://www.pagannature.wixsite.com/home )