Farewell to rough month of the cuckoo

WE’RE in the middle of the bountiful month of May, amid hopes of long summer days ahead and the last of the cold, wet weather we had during the traditional Scaraveen (‘scairbhín’) period, which is now coming to an end.

It’s a long time since I heard so much talk about the Scaraveen, no doubt because the elements were very much in line with what many people expect at that time of the year. The name comes from the Irish, ‘garbh mí na gcuach’ (the rough month of the cuckoo), the period between Apr 15 and May 15 when weather patterns are often changeable and temperature extremes common.

There is a strong Scaraveen tradition in the Dingle Peninsula and the belief amongst old-timers there is that nature has its own way of looking after plant life.