{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"An Irish Christmas: Brush the Floor and Clean the Hearth","description":"\ud83c\udfa5 Watch the Song from this Episode Huge GRMMA to Grace! \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/youtu.be\/BJyO6xRL5KA?si=8dUh09AjWVaT78Ow Christmas in Ireland \u2014 Am na Nollag \u2014 is not a single tradition. It is a layering of customs: Christian belief laid gently over practices far older than Christianity itself. In this episode of Undercover Irish, we explore how Irish Christmas traditions preserve ideas of survival, fire, hunger, and renewal \u2014 stretching back to the solstice and the rebirth of the sun. Using material from the D\u00fachas Schools\u2019 Collection, traditional song, and Irish folklore, this episode traces how Ireland kept not old gods or new gods \u2014 but the instructions that worked. At the heart of the episode are two constants:  The Kerry Christmas Carol, a song of preparation and fire-keeping An Spideog, the robin \u2014 a winter bird spared in Irish tradition  Together, they reveal how Irish Christmas still carries the memory of darker winters, lived hunger, and the careful keeping of life. \ud83d\udd25 What This Episode Explores  Why Christmas in Ireland is both Christian and pre-Christian The tradition of leaving doors unlocked and candles lit for Mary The older belief in midwinter as \u201cthe birthday of the sun\u201d Yule, fire rituals, and survival through darkness Why the robin is protected \u2014 and the wren is carried out How famine and hunger shaped Irish ritual language What Irish Christmas customs tell us about continuity, not belief  \ud83d\udcdc D\u00fachas Schools\u2019 Collection Sources \ud83c\udf84 Christmas Night \u2014 Belcarra, County Mayo Accounts of leaving the door open and a candle in the window on Christmas Night so that Mary might find shelter and leave her blessing on the house. \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/www.duchas.ie\/en\/cbes\/4427957 \u2600\ufe0f \u201cThe Birthday of Our Sun\u201d \u2014 Carnadough, County Longford A Schools\u2019 Collection account recording local belief that midwinter was once known as \u201cthe birthday of our sun\u201d. \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/www.duchas.ie\/en\/cbes\/4490871 \ud83d\udd25 Yule and the Feast of the Sun \u2014 Carnadough, County Longford An accompanying entry stating plainly that \u201cYule meant the feast of the Sun\u201d, and describing midwinter fire customs. \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/www.duchas.ie\/en\/cbes\/4490873 \ud83c\udfb6 Featured Song The Kerry Christmas Carol Traditional Irish Christmas song emphasising preparation, hearth-keeping, and survival through winter. \u25b6\ufe0f Watch \/ listen on YouTube: \u2764\ufe0f Support Undercover Irish If you enjoy deep dives into Irish history, folklore, language, and tradition, you can support the podcast and access bonus material on Patreon. \ud83d\udd17Undercover Irish | Patreon \ud83c\udfa5 Watch the Song from this Episode Huge GRMMA to Grace! \ud83d\udd17 https:\/\/youtu.be\/BJyO6xRL5KA?si=8dUh09AjWVaT78Ow ","author_name":"Undercover Irish","author_url":"https:\/\/sites.libsyn.com\/undercoverirish","html":"<iframe title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/39506995\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/88AA3C\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"600\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/assets.libsyn.com\/secure\/item\/39506995"}