County Wexford remains a primary stronghold for the May Bush tradition, a centuries-old Irish custom used to mark the official start of summer on May 1.
- Purpose: Erected to protect crops and milk yields while warding off “pisheogs” (fairies).
- Composition: Traditionally made from whitethorn (sceach) or furze/gorse and decorated with painted eggshells and ribbons.
- Revival: The Wexford May Bush Festival, launched in 2017, has worked to re-establish the practice after a decline in the 1960s and 70s.
The May Bush Tradition
The May Bush is a piece of whitethorn or furze erected on May Eve or May Day. Participants decorate the bush with seasonal flowers, ribbons, and painted eggshells, which are often saved from Easter Sunday.
While the tradition is found in parts of Leinster, East Munster, East Connacht, and Ulster, Wexford is regarded as one of its strongest centers. Historically, these bushes were placed in prominent outdoor locations and were never brought inside the home.
Modern adaptations now include the use of plastic Kinder eggshells and leftover foil from Easter eggs. While the bushes were traditionally left to wither naturally, many people today leave them up for the entire month of May.
Reviving the Custom in Wexford
The practice saw a steep decline throughout the 1960s and 1970s. However, folklorist Michael Fortune and Aileen Lambert launched the Wexford May Bush Festival in 2017 to reintegrate the tradition into the community.
The revival included a planting scheme that distributed thousands of whitethorns to homes, schools, villages, and crossroads across the county. This initiative has encouraged people of all ages to embrace the custom once again.
European and Global Influence
The May Bush is part of a broader European celebration of summer. Similar rituals exist in Germany, Sweden, Poland, and the northwest of Spain in Galicia, where bushes are decorated with flowers and eggshells.
In England and Wales, the celebration often involves erecting a tall Maypole and electing a May Queen. This Maypole influence also appeared in areas of Ireland with strong English ties, including the towns of Bunclody, Gorey, and Coolgreany.
Transatlantic Survival in Newfoundland
The tradition traveled to rural Newfoundland in the late 1700s via settlers from southeast Ireland. Because whitethorn and gorse are unavailable there, residents use pine trees decorated with ribbons and fairy lights.
In these communities, ribbons are blue during May to associate with the Virgin Mary and are replaced with red ribbons in June for the Sacred Heart. Statues of Our Lady are also frequently placed at the foot or top of the tree.
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