Easter Celebrations

Irish Easter begins, as do most Irish seasonal celebrations, with cleansing. Houses are to be cleaned inside and out, and whitewashed if necessary. As is the custom in the United States and many other places around the world, it is a time to purchase new clothing.

'The sun's dancing day and the earths' holy day' - this is Jacobean poet Nicolas Breton's description of Easter Day. The British believed in ancient times that the sun danced for joy as it rose at Easter to commemorate Christ's resurrection. In many parts of Wales crowds still climb just before the dawn to the highest point in the area to watch the sun 'dance' as it rises on Easter Day. In the Vale of Clwyd villagers used to dance three somersaults on the top of Dinas Bran, thereby greeting the sun rise.