Spectators gather for ancient Celtic fire procession that welcomes summer

Crowds watch illuminations during the Bealtaine Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Hundreds of spectators have gathered for a Celtic fire festival marking the beginning of summer in Co Westmeath.

A procession of light and fire was held at the Hill of Uisneach, an ancient ceremonial site steeped in Irish mythology.

Performers during the Bealtaine Fire Festival at the Hill of Uisneach in Co Westmeath (Niall Carson/PA)

Performers dressed in Celtic costumes and donned leaf head-dresses as they re-enacted life and traditions from centuries ago.

At the end of the procession, a huge fire was lit welcoming the summer, a ritual that dates back more than 1,000 years to the time of the High Kings of Ireland.

The Bealtaine Fire Festival, held on Saturday, also offered a talk on prehistoric astronomy, poetry and storytelling, music and drumming before the procession began at sundown.