The centuries-old tradition of the May Bush is seeing a significant resurgence in County Wexford, where folklorist Michael Fortune has worked for two decades to preserve the custom. On the first of May, which officially marks the beginning of summer in Ireland, residents gather ribbons, flowers, and painted eggshells to decorate these symbolic bushes.
Reviving a Fading Custom
While the May Bush tradition is found across Ulster, East Connacht, East Munster, and other counties in Leinster, Wexford remains one of its primary strongholds. However, the practice faced a steep decline during the 1960s and 1970s.
In 2017, Michael Fortune and his wife, Aileen Lambert, launched The Wexford May Bush Festival to reintegrate the tradition into the local culture. The initiative utilized radio, local newspapers, social media, and word of mouth to reach the community.
As part of The May Bush Planting Scheme, thousands of little whitethorns were distributed. These have been planted in towns, villages, schools, crossroads, and private homes throughout the county, allowing thousands of people to embrace the custom again.
Rituals and Folklore
In Wexford, a May Bush typically consists of a furze, gorse, or whitethorn bough—known locally as a sceach. These are erected on May Eve or May Day in prominent outdoor locations.
Historically, the bushes were intended to ward off pisheogs, or fairies, to protect milk yields and growing crops. Folklore tells of shape-shifting hares seen on May mornings sucking milk from cows, which would then transform into bleeding women when the hare was wounded.
Modern adaptations now include the use of leftover Easter egg foil and plastic Kinder egg shells. While the bushes were traditionally left to wither naturally, many people now keep them up for the entire month.
A Global Connection
The practice is part of a wider European celebration of summer. Similar traditions exist in Germany, Sweden, and parts of Poland, where rituals occur in late March. In Galicia, in the northwest of Spain, May Day is marked with decorated trees and eggshells in a manner nearly identical to the Irish custom.
Influence from England and Wales also brought the tradition of the Maypole and the election of a May Queen to Ireland. In Wexford, this was particularly popular in Coolgreany, Gorey, and Bunclody.
Future Outlook
Given the success of the planting schemes, the tradition could continue to expand as the distributed whitethorns mature in community spaces. This growth may lead to a more permanent visual presence of the custom across the county’s landscape.
Further documentation of these customs may become more common, as the rarity of historical photographs has highlighted the importance of visualizing the tradition for future generations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What materials are used to make a May Bush?
In Wexford, a bough of furze, gorse, or whitethorn is used. These are decorated with ribbons, seasonal flowers, and painted eggshells, though some modern versions use plastic Kinder egg shells or foil.
Why were May Bushes traditionally put up?
They were placed in prominent outdoor locations to keep fairies (pisheogs) and bad luck away from the home and farmyard, specifically to protect the milk yield and growing crops.
Where else is the May Bush tradition practiced outside of Ireland?
The tradition exists in Galicia in the northwest of Spain, as well as in parts of Poland. It also survives in pockets of rural Newfoundland, Canada.
Do you have a local tradition in your community that has been revived for a modern generation?
Find more about the folklore collection of Michael Fortune here.
