Bilberry Sunday is a remnant of one of our oldest festivals in Ireland and usually occurred during the latter part of the month of July when the fruit of the Bilberry bush was ready to harvest. Due to the acidic soils on Loughanleagh, Bilberries thrived in the peat soils of the low ditches amongst the heather. Tradition has it that it was a day to mark the end of ‘Hungry July’ and anticipate the harvest to come. This festival pre-dates Christian times in Ireland and Its origins are in the pagan festival of ‘Lughnasadh‘ (named after the God Lugh), which is one of the four major seasonal festivals, along with Samhain, Imboic and Bealtaine and celebrated annually on the last Sunday of July.
The Bilberry is an edible tiny, intensely dark blue berry and is related to the Blueberry though they’re only about half as large and have been used in traditional European medicine for nearly a 1,000 years. As a herbal remedy, Bilberry is used to treat digestive problems and diabetes, or as an astringent and antiseptic. They thrive in acidic soils and have a sweet/sour flavour. Bilberries are pollinated by Bumblebees and other insects but are also self-fertile. The species has both male and female organs and pollen can be carried between flowers by gravity and wind. In the past, it is said that the juice from Bilberries was used as a blue dye in the paper and linen industry.
Although traditions varied from county to county, it was customary for the women to bake a bilberry cake and present it to the man of their fancy at a Bilberry Sunday dance. Storytellers have handed down to us that this event became a time of courting for couples and is said that many a man met his sweetheart on this day. Also, we are told that the foraging of Bilberries were used to make tarts and occasionally bilberry wine.
| Common names: | Bilberry, European blueberry, blaeberry, whortleberry, wimberry, whinberry |
| Scientific name: | Vaccinium myrtillus |
| Family: | Vaccinium |
| Origin: | Native |
| Flowering season: | April to June |
| Habitat: | Dry woodland, heathland, moorland, peat soils |
| Threats and conservation: | While bilberry is not currently listed as endangered in Ireland, it is not entirely without threat. It is classified as “least concern” but has declined in some areas due to habitat loss which is a feature on Loughanleagh due to erosion and loss of it’s natural habitat over the years. |
Date: Last Sunday – July 2025
Event: Bilberry Sunday
Location: Loughanleagh Mountain