Bridging Appalachia

NFC S 622: 118

“The name Garland Sunday is used generally at the present time and we very often hear, in these districts on the week previous to the last Sunday in July one youth putting the question to another, ‘Are you going to Garlic,’ ‘Garlic’ being a corruption of Garland.
On this day every householder was supposed to feast his family on the first fruits, and the farmer who failed to provide his people with new potatoes, new bacon and white cabbage, on that day was called a ‘Feirmeoir gaoithe.’

If a man dug new potatoes before this day he was called a ‘Needy Farmer.’ This practice lasted down to a very recent date. I myself knew three farmers in this district who would on no account dig new potatoes until the eve before Garland Sunday and they would certainly dig them that eve.

The term ‘Garland’ had its origin in the custom of strewing flowers on Altóir na Gréine in Pagan Days, in honour to ‘Crom Dubh’. The practice of strewing the flowers lasted until the early part of the 19th Century.
Many games were played here on this day. There was a feast and later came the games.

In time the priests and wise old men of the district grew tired of the practices carried on at Mount Callan. They advised the people to give them up.”

From dúchas.ie