What the early and medieval sources say
Not much, and we say so: there is no body of early Irish Christmas tales to set beside the Samhain ones. What survives is the word, the feast in calendars and Mass books, and the habit of counting two Christmases. The Irish references are as the dictionary eDIL lists them; we have not read the original manuscripts.
- The word itself
Nollaig comes from Old Irish notlaic, borrowed from Latin natalicia, a birthday feast. Wiktionary compares Welsh Nadolig, Breton Nedeleg and French Noël. source ↗ - The Félire Óengusso
The martyrology of Óengus marks 25 December as the notlaic on which Christ was born of Mary. source ↗ - The Stowe Missal
An early Irish Mass book. It mentions the offering made at Easter, Christmas and Pentecost, the three named together. source ↗ - The two Christmases
Medieval Irish already had Notlaic Mór, Great Christmas, and Notlaic Becc or Notlaic Stéille, Little Christmas or the Christmas of the Star, meaning the Epiphany. The Tallaght monastic texts speak of the time 'between the two Christmases', and the Annals of Ulster use the same phrase for a great snow. The Cogad Gáedel re Gallaib (Wars of the Irish with the Foreigners) has 'from Great Christmas to Little Christmas'. source ↗ - Little Christmas was not the same day everywhere
eDIL adds that Nollaig Bheag was later used for 1 January, and that in modern usage it means the Epiphany in Munster but New Year's Day in Connacht and Ulster. source ↗ - Henry II in Dublin, 1171
The earliest account of a Christmas kept in Ireland that Wikipedia gives is Henry II's, in Dublin in 1171, when he was excommunicate. The next Dublin account, from 1458, is of religious dramas, miracle plays. source ↗ - The wren and St Moling
Possibly the earliest written reference to a wren hunt is a medieval Irish legend in which St Moling curses the wren to be hunted for eating his pet fly. The rest of the wren's story is on the Wren Day page. source ↗
Christmas morning, 1653
The Sites and Monuments Record entry for the mass rock at Tomhaggard says that Nicholas Meyler was murdered on Christmas morning 1653 while celebrating Mass, and that Mass is said there every Christmas morning in his memory. 1653 is the Cromwellian period, a generation before the Penal Laws proper. (SMR WX047-167----, Tomhaggard, Co. Wexford.) Every mass rock in the record →
What the children wrote down, 1937–39
In the Schools' Collection, pupils across the State recorded what their families did at Christmas. A selection, summarised from the pages on dúchas.ie; follow the link for the child's own words. Those marked in Irish are our translation. They lean towards Galway, Cork and Mayo because that is where the searches led.
- Butlerstown, Co. Cork ↗ · Baile an Bhuitléirigh, Tigh Molaga
On Christmas Eve dinner was put off until seven or eight, when the work was done: potatoes, skimmed milk and salted hake, steeped first, with a sauce of new milk and butter, the only time butter was used that way. Then porter, and later currant cake, which for most people was the only time in the year they had currants. - Kilmaloda, Co. Cork ↗ · Cill Moluda, Clanna Caoilte
People fasted on Christmas Eve and stayed up until midnight for a great feast, then went to prayers early in the morning, the whole house together. The Christmas candles were stuck into turnips and lit by the youngest in the house. - Macroom, Co. Cork ↗ · Maghcromtha (B.)
An adult's memory of his grandfather's house at Kilnamartyra, where Irish was the main language: no midday dinner on Christmas Eve, potatoes and stockfish in the evening, the candles lit by the youngest, then tea, Christmas cake, punch and songs late into the night. - Rosscarbery, Co. Cork ↗ · Clochar na Trócaire, Ros Ó gCairbre
From a grandmother near Glandore: water turns into wine at midnight on Little Christmas Eve, and misfortune falls on anyone who waits up to see it. - Knockcarron, Co. Limerick ↗ · Cnoc Cairn, Imleach Iubhair
A long candle in the kitchen window, a big fire and a swept hearth on Christmas Eve, because the Blessed Virgin is expected some time in the night; the candle shows her the way, and she and the Child sit at the fire to warm themselves. - Esker, Co. Galway ↗ · Eiscear
Whitewashed walls, candles in the windows and two large coloured candles on the kitchen table, the Yule log, and the doors left open until after midnight to shelter any traveller. Mass at 5.30 on Christmas morning and a visit to the crib. - Lickerrig, Co. Galway ↗ · Leac Dhearg
A list of Christmas Night customs: the door open or unlocked, clean straw under every animal, no water left in the house, a potato cake, the blinds left up, and a lighted candle in every window. - Castlegrove, Co. Galway ↗ · Castlegrove
The candles are decorated and lit by the youngest, one in every window, 'no more beautiful sight'. The child adds that the poor once had no candles or even windows, and used rushes dipped in tallow; and that children used to kneel outside the door at midnight to hear the bells of heaven. - Moyglass, Co. Galway ↗ · Mágh Glas
Part of the Yule log was kept unburnt until the next Christmas. The wren boys used to go out dancing and singing carols for all twelve days; by the 1930s it was one day. - Levally, Co. Galway ↗ · Leath-bhaile · in Irish, our translation
Twelve candles are lit on the eve of the Twelfth Day, and the first to go out foretells which of the household will die first. A candle in every room on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve and Twelfth Night. 28 December, the Day of the Children, is the cross day of the year: nothing should be begun on it and nobody married. - Ballinderreen area (Coill Maolacáin), Co. Galway ↗ · Coill Maolacáin · in Irish, our translation
On Christmas Eve all the animals can talk, the donkeys go down on their knees to honour Jesus, water turns to wine, and neither sheep nor cow lies down that night. Mary and Jesus go from house to house, so the door should be left open in case they need shelter. - An Léim, Co. Galway ↗ · An Léim · in Irish, our translation
A story: Páidín Ruadh shut his door on Christmas Eve, was disturbed by knocking, and spoke roughly to a woman and child he found outside. It was the Blessed Virgin. The saying that goes with it: the door should not be shut on Christmas Eve. - An Droim, Co. Galway ↗ · An Druim · in Irish, our translation
Christmas has three great feasts: Big Christmas, Little Christmas and the Twelfth Day. The shop's Christmas box held a big candle, currants, tea and sugar, and sometimes a black shawl. A candle in every window, because the Virgin Mary is going about; goose or turkey for dinner; and the wren boys out on St Stephen's Day with their rhyme. - Ceathrú an Bhrúnaigh, Co. Galway ↗ · Ceathramha 'n Bhrúnaigh · in Irish, our translation
'Christmas sixty years ago', as a shopping list: two and a half stone of flour, currants, raisins, American pork and a sheep's head with the lungs and liver, divided between Big Christmas, Little Christmas and New Year's Day, and a pint of whiskey in Galway for fifteen pence, watered before drinking. - Cregduff, Co. Mayo ↗ · Craig Dhubh · in Irish, our translation
Candles lit and the door left open late, because the old people believed Mary, Joseph and the Child were travelling that night, and a chair left by the fire for them to rest. St Stephen's Day is Lá an Dreoilín, and the wren boys carry a wren in a box. - Loughaunnaman, Co. Mayo ↗ · Lochán na mBan
In the old days a wren was killed and carried in a box, with coppers asked to bury it, until people came to think it foolish and cruel. Now the boys dress up in old clothes and go round dancing for coppers. - Carrownisky, Co. Mayo ↗ · Ceathramhadh-an-Uisge
The wren boys in white clothes and false faces, with a stick, a money box and a melodeon, dancing in each house and asking a penny to bury the wren. - Killacorraun, Co. Mayo ↗ · Coill an Gharráin
Little Christmas, 6 January, is also called the twelfth day; the holly that has been up since Christmas comes down and is burnt. - Belvoir, Co. Clare ↗ · Belvoir, Kilkishen
The Epiphany is always called Little Christmas Day, and marriages never take place until after it.
Search them all: “Christmas” ↗ · “Christmas Eve” ↗ · “Nollaig” ↗ · “Wren” ↗ · “Dreoilín” ↗ · “Little Christmas” ↗
Quick answers
Why do the Irish put a candle in the window at Christmas?
To welcome Mary and Joseph, and anyone else needing shelter, on Christmas Eve. In some houses the youngest child or the mother lights it, and in some places three are lit for the Holy Family. If it went out by accident, that was a bad omen. The story that it guided priests in Penal times is often told, but none of our sources supports it.
When does Christmas start and end in Ireland?
Traditionally it ran from 8 December, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, when decorations went up, to 6 January, Little Christmas or Nollaig na mBan. Leaving the decorations up past the sixth was thought unlucky.
What is Little Christmas?
In most of Ireland, 6 January, Nollaig Bheag, also called Nollaig na mBan, Women's Christmas. It closes the season: the decorations come down and the three wise men are placed in the crib. The Irish dictionary eDIL notes that in Connacht and Ulster Nollaig Bheag meant New Year's Day instead.
Did the Irish fast on Christmas Eve?
Yes. Christmas Eve was a fast day, and fish was the traditional meal. Children in Cork in the 1930s described no midday dinner, then salted fish and potatoes in the evening.
What happens on St Stephen's Day in Ireland?
26 December is Wren Day, Lá an Dreoilín. The Wren Boys go from house to house collecting for the wren party, strongest in Kerry and around Dingle. Fasting on the day in honour of the saint's martyrdom was also traditional.
What was the traditional Irish Christmas dinner?
Beef, a roast goose and ham. Beef was the favourite in Ulster into the 20th century. Turkey is a later, imported tradition.
Why do people swim in the sea on Christmas Day in Ireland?
It is a late 20th-century custom, usually for charity. The Forty Foot in Sandycove, Dublin, and Blackrock in Salthill, Galway, are the best-known places.
How do you say Happy Christmas in Irish?
Nollaig Shona duit to one person, Nollaig Shona daoibh to more than one. Nollaig comes from Latin natalicia, a birthday feast.
