Today is Michaelmas!
Summary
Marion McGarry, a lecturer at ATU Mayo, joins the Moncrieff Show to discuss Michaelmas, or Saint Michael’s Day. She explains the holiday’s origins as a feast honoring the warrior saint and its role as a quarter day marking the end of the harvest. McGarry details traditional customs, such as eating geese and settling debts, while noting how the observance has largely faded in modern times.
Topics discussed
Introduction and guest welcome
Saint Michael as the warrior saint
Michaelmas as a quarter day and feast
Irish customs: wells, names, and food
Why geese were eaten on Michaelmas
Harvest foods and fairs
Blackberries and the púca legend
Debts, rents, and academic terms
The decline of Michaelmas traditions
Reviving the day and autumn atmosphere
Current academic schedules and sign-off
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