LUGHNASADH was likely the moment when Lugh in Irish myth comes to the door of Temhair and crosses the threshold. Like him, the Roman Mercury and Greek Hermes were also concerned with interchanges, transitions and crossings. Lughnasadh was the point at which the people crossed over from hunger to feasting. Until recently, the month before harvest was a time of hunger for many people in Celtic countries. Even one hundred years ago, July was known as “hungry July” or the time of cabbage because many people subsisted only on old cabbage or wild nettles until the new harvest began. In Irish myth, Eochu Bres takes the throne after the midsummer solstice and, though he is beautiful, he is a miser who serves no ale and butters no bread. Herding communities that relied on sheep’s milk for their summer diet had to cut off that supply by separating ewes from lambs so that the ewes would be ready to breed and start the cycle again. With Lughnasa came fresh, sweet berries of many sorts, new grain for bread, and new potatoes with their delicate skins.Art by Jim Fitzpatrick at http://apps.facebook.com/Mywebees/etsy.com/shop/JimFitzPatrickArtist