What do the Irish eat on Easter?

Answer 1

Irish Easter begins, as do most Irish seasonal celebrations, with cleansing. Houses are to be cleaned inside and out, and whitewashed if necessary. As is the custom in the United States and many other places around the world, it is a time to purchase new clothing.

Good Friday is a day of remembrance, for it is the day when the innocent Lord Jesus was crucified. There should be no work done in the fields, but only work on the house, preferably inside. No blood is to be shed, no hammering of nails, and no wood working, for to do so would be to equal oneself with the Roman soldiers who nailed the hands and feet of the Savior onto the wood of the cross. Fasting more than usual is a must. There must be absolute silence from noon until around three in the afternoon, for that was the time of the Lord's greatest agony on the cross. After a visit to church, Good Friday is a day for visiting graveyards and holy wells. There is to be no fishing done on this day, at least not with nets, boats or fishing lines. The evening meal is to be made of sea food, but that which can be gathered on the shore...shell fish, sea weed and such. To prevent headaches throughout the coming year, one must cut his or her hair, and also trim fingernails and toe nails. Despite the memory of the death of God's Son, it is a blessed day for life, for in His death, the Son brought life to any who would seek it. A baby born on Good Friday and baptized on Easter Sunday is believed to have special healing powers. If a son, he should go into the ministry. Even eggs hatched on this day will be sure to produce healthy chicks. Unhatched eggs gathered should be marked with a cross, and eaten by the family on Easter Sunday.

Easter Saturday is a little less heavy. Some water should be taken to be blessed, and three sips taken of the now "Holy water" by each member of the family. With what is left, everything in the house should be sprinkled for blessings in the year to come.

Easter Sunday is the big day, the day everyone has been waiting for. On this day, Jesus rose from the dead, and all is joy. Everyone must rise early, before the sunrise, as did the ladies who went to the tomb to tend to the slain Savior's body. But just as the sun rises in the sky, so did the Lord rise from the dead, and the ladies did not find his body there as they had expected. Even the sun seems to dance with joy for the return to life of his Creator. Children and adults alike will take a pail of water and watch the reflection of the sun, then jiggle it so the water moves, making the sun appear to dance.

After the sunrise (or Sonrise as many Christians refer to it) ceremony, it is time for worship in church, and then the festivities.

Butchers, who for the long days of lent have gone through some slow business, will often hold a mock funeral for a herring. This is symbolic of the end of lent, the end of abstinence, and the return to eating meat. A day of great joy for butchers. They have a procession where they might whip the herring, but whatever they do, it involves this poor doomed fish.

The egg, being a symbol of life and new birth, spring and the raising from the dead of the Lord Jesus, plays an important part in the celebrations on this day. Children can boil and paint them. They can be given away, eaten, rolled in a race to see which one can go the farthest, and of course, the well know egg hunt where they are hidden and the children set out to find them.

Another Irish custom is to have the children gather raw eggs, then cook or roast them in a special contraption built at the edge of their farm. This ritual is called a cluideog (cludog). All egg shells must be saved to place around the May bush.

Easter Sunday, as mentioned above, is the day when lent comes to an end. The Savior has risen, and there is no longer need for mourning and sacrifice. It is a time to celebrate. It is time to feast. Beef is the meat of choice. And then there is the cake dance. The best dancer wins the cake.

As the day winds down, everyone heads for a "Sunday" well and a big bonfire is lit. With any such gathering in Ireland, you can be sure there will be plenty of fun and story telling. Then it's time to go home and go to bed. After all, tomorrow is Monday and life goes back to normal.

Answer 2

St. Patricks Day and Easter are one of the most Important Holiday's celebrated in Ireland. In Ireland Easter usually starts 40days before Easter Sunday, Known as the day of Lent. On the first day of Lent Irish people quit something they cherish such as alcohol, television, or cigarettes, and stop consuming meat. During the days of Lent Irish people eat fish that is cooked in soup every Friday. The Irish people also take consideration of what they are thankful for and spend quality time with family. The last week of Lent is the most important!

Many families prepare their homes for Easter Sunday by detail cleaning and getting blessed by the local priest. On Friday before Easter there is no work. It is only a day of rest, and getting maintained (hair cuts, nails done, etc) for the holiday. Eggs are given to the Irish on Friday (Known as Good Friday). Adults get painted eggs with different colours while children get chocolate eggs. The Irish do not eat their eggs until Sunday. On Sunday (Easter) Irish families do much of the same things Americans do by attending church and eating with their families.

Answer 3

There are parades all around Ireland. All large cities and towns have them. There would be some parties and in many pubs and clubs there would be an Irish music night. There are some sports events that people go to.

Answer 4

The Irish celibrate Everything! Any excuse for a booze-up... #2 answ: Irish Catholics do. They celebrate the religious side of Easter. I am not sure about the secular holiday.

Answer 5

the easter bunnys heart

Answer 6

They don't.

Answer 7

Milk