Lughnasadh or
Lughnasa (pronounced , ; , ; , ; , ) is a
Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the
harvest season. Historically, it was widely observed throughout
Ireland,
Scotland and the
Isle of Man. Originally it was held on 1 August, or about halfway between the
summer solstice and
autumn equinox. However, over time the celebrations shifted to the Sundays nearest this date. Lughnasadh is one of the four Gaelic seasonal festivals; along with
Samhain,
Imbolc and
Beltane. It corresponds to other European
harvest festivals such as the Welsh and the English
Lammas.