August Bank Holiday
August Bank Holiday
Lá Saoire i mí Lúnasa is yet another “Bank Holiday” in the summer season in Ireland. It falls on the first Monday in August, as in Scotland. Equivalently to the June Bank Holiday, this observance has no specific historical meaning in Ireland. Unlike it, however, the long August weekend is celebrated with many particular events in the Republic of Ireland. Since the Monday is free from work for a majority of the country’s employees and it is the half-way mark of summer, the most prominent festivals and sporting events are held during this period.
August Bank Holiday was proclaimed along with three other special occasions (Easter Monday, Whit Monday, St. Stephen’s Day) as a result of the 1871 Bank Holidays Act. It was initiated by the British liberalist John Lubbock, but the region of Ireland adopted a slightly different list of holidays. Although the countries have separated since, the date of the August Holiday has remained the same in the UK and in Ireland. It originated as the day granted for the bank workers to play cricket. Nowadays in Ireland, it is a long weekend during which many citizens take a vacation and travel or attend many various cultural events.
On the long August Bank Holiday weekend, Irish citizens enjoy a multiplicity of cultural events. Apart from plainly hiking and cycling, most people choose to participate in such outdoor activities as art exhibitions, concerts, stand up performances and sporting events. There is the Waterford Spraoi Festival, which displays various forms of street art and plays modern pop music. The oldest city in Ireland offers guide tours, explaining its historical connection to the Vikings. The August weekend marks the beginning of the 10-day Kilenny Arts Festival, a proposition for the lovers of classical art and music. Sporting events include horse and dog racing, and 3-, 5- and 10 kilometer marathons. An interesting event is the Vodafone Comedy Festival, which sometimes occurs the weekend before the first Monday in August, because there are too many stimulating activities during the holiday period.
August Bank Holiday is public in Ireland, so most institutions and businesses close. Some pubs and shops still choose to be open, but their workers need to be granted higher payment or another paid day off. This holiday is exceptional, since its tradition is not elaborate, nor does it originate from religion. It is a simple civic holiday, during which the citizens can realize their plans for passive rest or active recreation.