Ireland is known for the Irish new year traditions and for being a country with many traditions and superstitions by its inhabitants, and it is incredible to think that these superstitions and customs are still practised by the new generations residing in the country.
Ireland is a country that has historically been involved in many mythological stories and great warriors. In addition to this, its residents are highly traditionalists, and this way of thinking has been transmitted from generation to generation.
The most common customs that are described in the Irish new year traditions are below.
1. New Year New House
New year new house. The houses for the Irish have enormous value and not only see it as the place where they reside but also as part of their safety and quality of life. When the new year is about to start, the Irish think that the house is as clean as if it were new, so the house should be cleaned and tidied up as if there was no tomorrow so that at the beginning of the year the house is bright.
2. Coal House
Coal house. Another of the most common traditions by the Irish is to place large amounts of coal in the house as a sign that the new year will be very prosperous and wealth and abundance will be common for each person living in the home. A few decades ago, this tradition was more orthodox, and the houses were almost filled with carbon since those beliefs were almost like a religion.
3. Christmas Bread
It was bad luck. To avoid bad luck, what families usually do is cover the walls of the home with Christmas bread. Although it is a somewhat strange belief, it is shared by many families, and it is also believed that it attracts happiness and also the hope that everyone in the family nucleus can obtain it and that there are no situations that prevent obtaining it.
4. Welcome the Ancestors
Welcome ancestors. Beliefs in spirits are present in the country today. Families open every door, window, and place outside so that family members who lived with them and shared can also enjoy the activities that are done for the new year. Also, they perform this act so that the spirits can eat with them.
5. The Man Must Leave First
There is the only luck if there is a handsome one. Families in Ireland believe that for there to be luck in the home, the first person who must be leaving the house on the first day of the year must be a man, with great stature, with brown skin and who physically built and had to be very attractive.
If the first person to leave is a girl, and besides that, she is a redhead, it is something that disproportionately attracts bad luck in the family.
6. The Mistletoe Pillow
If there are pillows, there is love. Before sleeping the women who want to get married and get the love of their life always place mistletoe under the pillow. Irish women will do this on New Years’ Eve.
It is said women who do this will find their perfect partner approved for marriage and have honour in the family.
7. New Year or Old Year
New Year or Old Year. For many families, what is celebrated on these important dates is the new opportunities for life and doors that will open in the next year, but for other families, the notion of something different since what they celebrate is the experiences they have lived and all the learning that there was in the year that concludes and to celebrate it they make parties and others.
So that the notion of what is celebrated on the date is somewhat different and this is variable according to each family and how they were raised.
8. Banging the Pots
The Banging of the Pots and Pans was a special one to me. It’s definitely one our family did through the years. We’d grab wooden spoons with pots and pans and start banging the bejaysus out of them.
It took me years to understand why we did it. I just loved it cause it was great craic and was something we did as a family and community throughout the years.
I was having a few pints this year and was looking for a taxi a few minutes after 12 and a large group of people from Dunmore East were doing this along the entire village road. It was a fantastic experience.
The banging of the pots and pans is a custom intended to ward off evil spirits and protect the home and community.
9. Sweeping out the Old and in the New
This one seems to come from a few different cultures but again, this New Years Eve Tradition is something my grandfather used to do. He believed in sweeping out the dust he collected in his pan right at the front door. He’s immediately turn around and sweep towards the house.
When I asked him why he did it, it responded,
We just got rid of old bad luck and god willing we’ve just swept some good luck in the way.
As you have seen the Irish new year traditions, beliefs and customs in Ireland are many a bit strange for us but for them, they are simply ways to celebrate since this is simply questions of how we have been raised.
Despite being a little different from ours many people around the world truly appreciate this type of behavior since the family unit that is lived with the Irish is very large and really what is done is uniquely and exclusively shared as a family in contrast of may families in this side that they lost the family sense.