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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Anna McAree

New festival to bring Derry community back to its Celtic roots

Féile has announced details of Bealtaine, a new cultural festival for Derry's Creggan community.

The event is the first of its kind and will hark back to the city's Celtic roots.

The festival which is planned for the evening of May 4 will include a carnival parade through the streets of Creggan.

Read more: One of Ireland's "most celebrated chefs" joins Derry hotel team prior to opening

The parade will feature schools, sports clubs, youth clubs and community organisations from across the neighbourhood and will culminate in a spectacular fire display.

Bealtaine marks the beginning of summer and is one of the four major Irish Celtic annual festivals along with Samhain, Imbolc and Lughnasa.

A spokesperson for Féile said: "The Bealtaine event aims to build on the success of the Creggan 75 carnival parade which saw thousands of people come on to the streets.

"This event will be an opportunity for residents and people from across the city and beyond to come together after the long winter and celebrate the summer and everything that is great about the Creggan estate."

Bealtaine was often the first chance for neighbours to greet each other after the long winter months and great celebrations ensued including feasting, dancing, music, tournaments and trade.

Fire played a special part in these rituals. It has been speculated that the fire in Bealtaine celebrations symbolises the return of the sun after winter.

Other theories suggest that fire rituals are based on a type of imitative or sympathetic magic. Certain practices were to ensure a plentiful supply of sun for the growing season.

This event is a Communities In Transition initiative funded by The Executive Office.

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