August

Fort William, Inverness, Scotland, & Portree, Isle of Sky, Inner Hebrides, Scotland, & Isle of Arran, Bute, Scotland : 'Highland Games'.

May to end of August
Wye Dale District, Derbyshire, England : Traditional 'Well-dressing'.

First week of August
Different place each year, Wales : Royal National Eisteddfod.

A Wednesday in August
St. Margaret's Hope, South Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland : Traditional 'Boys' Ploughing Match'.

Second week in August
Queensferry, West Lothian, Scotland : The 'Burry Man and Ferry Fair'.

August 1 or near
London Bridge to Chelsea Bridge, London, England : 'Watermen's Race'.

Saturday nearest to August 5
Grasmere, Westmorland, England : Traditional 'Rush bearing Procession'.

Saturday of week including August 19
Cilgerran, Cardigan, Wales : 'Coracle Race'.

Thursday nearest to August 20
Grasmere, Westmorland, England : Annual Sports and events.

Third Saturday in August
Irvine, Ayr, Scotland : Traditional 'Marymass Fair'.

Fourth Saturday in August
Strathdon, Aberdeen, Scotland : Lonach 'Highland Gathering and Games'.

'Lughnasadh' : Pagan festival, the beginning of Lammas, a day dedicated to 'Lug'.

'Lughnasadh' : Gaelic 'Festival of Lugh'. Also known as 'Thanksgiving' or 'Harvest Home' (bread was made from the new wheat for a special thanksgiving mass).

'Lughnasadh/Lunasa' : Anglo-Saxon 'Festival of the Loaves'.

Louis Bleriot, aviator and first person to fly across the English Channel, died on this day in 1936.

Celtic feast day of 'Almedha', sixth century, Welsh. Believed to be a daughter or grand-daughter of Brychan (6 April). It has been suggested that she was murdered and that a chapel was built in her honour at Brecon, Wales.

Celtic feast day of 'Cenydd', two different beliefs exist concerning Cnydd. The first details a hermit, date unknown, Welsh, living at the Gower Peninsula, Wales. He is believed to have been saved from death by seagulls. Cast out onto the water as the result of a relationship out of wedlock, which was reputed to be the reason for his physical deformity. The birds made a nest for him, and nine days later an angel appeared and gave the baby a bell on which to suckle with milk from heaven. It is also thought that the same story occurred but that the milk was supplied by a deer from the forest. The second refers to a monk , Welsh, son of Gildas (29 January) who travelled from his country of birth to Brittany to work at Ploumelin.

Enrico Caruso, opera singer, died on this day in 1921.

Celtic feast day of 'Sidwell' of Exeter, date unknown. Sister of Juthwara (28 November). Believed to be a Corn Goddess. Reputed to have murdered when her head was severed by a scythe. There is healing well said to have sprung from where her head fell in Exeter, England.

Hans Christian Anderson, writer, died on this day in 1875.

Celtic feast day of 'Molua', monk, fifth-sixth century. Founded monastery at Killakoe, County Clare, Ireland. Devotee and soul friend to Comgall (11 May) at Bangor, Wales, instructed Flannan (18 December). A disciple of Finnian of Clonard (12 December). Associated with Fintan Munnu (21 October). Died 605.

Celtic feast day of 'Sithney', date unknown, patron of girls. Believed to have been buried, and given rise to a healing well near to Helston, Cornwall, England. Reputed to have indicated that he would have preferred to have been patron to mad dogs, as it is said that Sithney was anxious that he would have many girls approaching him for blessings concerning their betrothals to rich men and fineries.

Marilyn Monroe, screen idol, died on this day under suspicious circumstances in 1962.

Celtic feast day of 'Oswald'. Lived in exile at Isle of Iona. Brother of Eanfrid, uncle of Oswin (20 August) and nephew of Edwin who he succeeded as king upon his death. Anglian prince of Northumbria. Heavenfield, (near Hadrian's Wall) is a place of pilgrimage as it was the place that he defeated Cadwallan in 634. Believed to have had a vision of Columcille (9 June) the night before the battle who indicated that he would vanquish the oppressor. Associated with Aidan (31 August). Killed in battle at Masefield, Shropshire, England. His head and hands were set upon stakes as a warning by Penda.

The Christian festival of 'The Transfiguration of the Lord'.

Summer 'Llughnasad', sun at 15 degrees in the house of Leo (August 2-7). Festivities in ancient times included lighting fires on top of hills across the British Isles to signal to the people that 'Bel' had returned to bring fertility back to the land accompanied by the 'Earth Goddess' who would ensure a bountiful harvest. One of four major fire festivals (5-8 May, 2-7 August, 5-7 November, 2-7 February).

An American B52 bomber drops atom bomb on Hiroshima on this day in 1945. One hundred thousand people killed, with the total increasing from exposure.

Summer 'Llughnasad' , sun at 15 degrees in the house of Leo (August 2-7). Festivities in ancient times included lighting fires on top of hills across the British Isles to signal to the people that 'Bel' had returned to bring fertility back to the land accompanied by the 'Earth Goddess' who would ensure a bountiful harvest. One of four major fire festivals (5-8 May, 2-7 August, 5-7 November, 2-7 February).