"Beacons at Bealtaine" is a
poem
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings in ...
by Irish poet
Seamus Heaney
Seamus Justin Heaney (; 13 April 1939 – 30 August 2013) was an Irish poet, playwright and translator. He received the 1995 Nobel Prize in Literature. which was composed for the
EU Enlargement
The European Union (EU) has expanded a number of times throughout its history by way of the accession of new member states to the Union. To join the EU, a state needs to fulfil economic and political conditions called the Copenhagen criteria ...
on May 1, 2004. "
Bealtaine
Beltane () is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking the s ...
" is a Gaelic holiday celebrated on this day, marking the beginning of summer.
The poem was read by Heaney at a ceremony for the 25 leaders of the enlarged EU arranged by the Irish
EU presidency
The official title President of the European Union (or President of Europe) does not exist, but there are a number of presidents of European Union institutions, including:
* the President of the European Council (since 1 December 2019, Charle ...
.
External links
Beacons at Bealtaine Archived full text from the Irish presidency website.
2004 poems
Poetry by Seamus Heaney