L, luis, the mountain ash in the Ogham. Confers ... - Rodney Mackay

and masters of the school. With this prize in hand, the
afternoon was frequently given over to the ball games
descendant from shinty.
The Men’s Ba’ is the older form of the Callant’s (lads)
Ba’ which is still played in a few places on Candlemas. The
king ruled for six weeks during which he had the right to
demand an afternoon’s release from school each week, and
“also enjoyed privileges in the remission of punishments.”
In the universities, a holiday fell at this time, allowing
poorer students to tramp back to their native glens to
replenish their oatmeal.
Although oatmeal no longer has great status Mealie
Monday, the first Monday of the Candlemas term, is still
observed as a holiday within the faculty of Arts. For adults,
the day known as Candle Day ended with a communal supper
and ball. For children it concluded with the Candle Blaze,
the lighting of tapers after dark in the schoolhouse. In
some places the practise was closer pagan models, the fire
of whin and brushwood being set in the yard. “Round the
burning bush the children danced and made merry first in
honour of Bride, the spirit of Spring, then in honour of the
saint who bore her name, and latterly just for the fun of it.”
See Bridd, Samh, Lugh.
LATHA RUADH, the Red Day, the third day of the eight days
of Beltane (May 3); the eve being termed Reed or Red E’en.
Known as the Avoiding Day in the highlands of Scotland, an
unlucky time for starting a journey or beginning an
enterprise. It is probable that the name, and connotations,
originally had to do with the selection of a Beltane karl. In
Christian times it was renamed Rood Day or Reed Day, or
even Roodmas, supposedly after the finding of a “rod” from
the true cross by the Empress Helena, the mother of King
Constantine. After the reformation any correspondence
between the Roodmas and Beltane was expunged.
In folk custom, it was thought necessary for a
member of each household to arise before sun-up on this