At the centre of this month’s mural is the Tailteann Games were ancient funeral games said to be founded by Lugh Lámhfhada, master of arts and sciences, in honour of his foster-mother Tailtiu. Rooted in the sacred landscape of Teltown, County Meath, the games were a vibrant blend of athletics, storytelling, craftsmanship, and communal rites. Held during the last weeks of July, they culminated in the Celtic harvest festival of Lughnasadh on August 1st, a celebration of ripening, offering, and renewal.
Swirling around these mythology are symbols of midsummer:
Fáinleog – the swallow, or “little wanderer” in Irish, a noble and lucky herald of summer’s peak
The Holly Moon – tied to kingship, protection, and eternal life, holly stands ever-green as the world begins its slow turn toward the darker season
The Dog Days – the ancient rising of Sirius, the “Dog Star,” linked with heat, fever, and unpredictable intensity
July, named in honour of Julius Caesar by the Roman Senate, still carries echoes of its ancient roots. This mural, like each in the series, explores how seasonal cycles, mythology, and cultural memory shape our modern understanding of time.
