The First of May is the Celtic festival of Bealtaine, or Beltane or Calan Mai, which marks the first day of Summer. It was the time to drive cattle to summer pastures, and sacred bonfires were lit. It was time to dance around the Maypole, visit the local Holy Well, and put out offerings to the aos sí, the fairy folk. In the US, especially in the high desert and mountain climates, we’ll settle for considering this the start of Spring, as there is still snow on the ground in many places.
The artists this week: John McSherry; Yanks; Sylvain Barou & Ronan Pellen; Matt Molloy; Tom Delany; Mary Beth Carty; Mick Conneely & David Munnelly; Poitín; Lá Lugh; Siobhan Miller; Ranarim; Altan; John Skelton; and Jason O’Rourke.
Our FairPlé score this week: 40
Playlist:
| # | Track | Artist | Release |
| 1 | Glen Where The Deer Is-The Ivy Leaf-The Dublin Lasses | Nuala Kennedy | Behave the Bravest |
| 2 | Sunrise at Bealtaine | John McSherry | The Seven Suns |
| 3 | One Morning In May | Yanks | Haymaker |
| 4 | The Cat that Ate the Candle-The First Month of Spring | Sylvain Barou, Ronan Pellen | The Last Days of Fall |
| 5 | Dr. Gilbert-Queen of the May | Matt Molloy | Music at Matt Molloy’s |
| 6 | The Highlander’s Kneebuckle, Dulaman na Binne Bui, Sióg na Bealtaine | Tom Delany | The Lark’s Call |
| 7 | Voilà le printemps | Mary Beth Carty | Crossing the Causeway |
| 8 | O’Donnell’s Hornpipe-The First of May | Mick Conneely & David Munnelly | ‘Tis What It Is |
| 9 | The Pleasant Month of May | Poitín | Simple Pleasures |
| 10 | Glen Where The Deer Is-The Ivy Leaf-The Dublin Lasses | Nuala Kennedy | Behave the Bravest |
| 11 | One Morning in May | Lá Lugh | Lá Lugh |
| 12 | May Morning Dew | Siobhan Miller | All Is Not Forgotten |
| 13 | Bealtaine Song | Lá Lugh | Senex Puer |
| 14 | Maj vare välkommen | Ranarim | Morgonstjärna |
| 15 | The Snowy Path | Altan | Harvest Storm |
| 16 | The Fire in the Hearth-Around the Fairy Fort | John Skelton | Wooden Flute Obsession 1 |
| 17 | The Mongrel-The Coming of Spring-The Woods of Old Leitrim | Jason O’Rourke | The Northern Concertina |