Wheel of the Year
The Druids celebrate a minimum of eight festivals of the year as a cycle (everything for the Druid is in cycles), this is commonly known as the Wheel of the Year.
Astronomic Festivals
These astronomical or solar festivals are known as the four quarters, commonly known as Equinoxes and Solstices of which the Welsh Druids name the Solstice - heuldro and the Equinox - cyhydnos. In modern-day they are known as The Albans.
Cyhydnos is when the day and night are of equal length, whilst the Heuldro is either the shortest or longest day as the sun changes it’s rising position.
Fire Festivals
A further four festivals are known as fire festivals (cross-quarters) and align with seasonal changes.
The fire festivals for the Welsh Druids are named Nos Galan Gaeaf or Samhain (meaning Night of the New Year of Winter i.e. New Year Eve ), Gŵyl Forwyn or Imbolc (literal translation is virgin/maid festival), Calan Haf/Mai or Beltane (Haf taken from Hafod meaning summer dwelling and Mai is May) and Gŵyl Awst (Festival of August) or Lughnasadh.
Welsh Druids celebrate Welsh Traditional Festivals in addition to the Wheel of the Year.
Learn about them on the Online Welsh Druidry Course and get a Calendar with all the dates…
