December 8 is a church holy day of obligation in Ireland. Not a public holiday though. It is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, nine months before the Nativity of Mary, which is celebrated September 8th.
In their yearly calendar, Catholic schools have arranged to be closed, causing, only now, some controversy as schools have been shut down for more than a week because of the big chill. Usually families from all over the country make their way to Dublin in order to do some Christmas shopping.
Lights are illuminating very dark evenings. Winter days are much shorter in Ireland. By December 21st, there is one hour less of daylight in Dublin than in Montreal or Kingston. That day only lasts for about seven and a half hours. Darkness seems to be taking over for good.
Back in Ancient Times, the winter solstice had much religious significance. This event was seen as the reversal of the Sun's ebbing in the sky. It was associated with 'afterlife'. People made sacrifices for the rebirth of the Sun and the hope that longer days would come, marking the end of the famine months and a new beginning for the growing season.
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