Written By: Psychic AlyciaRose Lughnassadh or Lughnasa (pronounced Loo-nas-ah), August 1st, is the first harvest festival in the Celtic and Neo-Pagan Year – of which eight sabbats is celebrated. Like all Celtic Fire Festivals, it begins on the eve of the actual day. Although it later became known as the Christian holiday of Lammas, it still survives in modern Gaelic as Lúnasa (Irish), Luanistyn (Manx), Lunasad or Lùnastal (Scottish) and Calan Awst (Welsh). Lammas stems from the Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘Loaf Mass’ since bread was made from the first grain (and the first loaves were blessed by the Church) – replacing the older tradition of offering the first sheaf cut to the Gods. Lugh was an important solar deity to the ancient Celts whose name means “shining one” and “nasad” is a tribal gathering for fairs and games. Lugh is also known as a god of grain and harvest who dies annually with the reaping of the crop. He is the warrior of light inextricably bound with the Earth Goddess and must enter her dark womb to be …