Every November 11th, while the world remembers Armistice Day, rural Ireland quietly observes one of its oldest and most superstitious feast days: St. Martin’s Day 2025 – known locally as Martinmas or St. Martin’s Eve/Day.
In Wexford, fishermen refuse to leave harbor. In Mayo, elders recall blood being smeared on children’s foreheads. In Germany, children parade with glowing lanterns. And across Europe, a goose is roasted – because if you don’t have one, a hen or cock will do.
In this definitive guide to St. Martin’s Day 2025, award-winning Irish folklorist Michael Fortune reveals the blood-chilling rituals, sea tragedies, and living superstitions that make November 11th one of Ireland’s most sacred – and feared – dates.
From the Wexford fishing superstition that still keeps trawlers docked to the blood spilling ritual once practiced from Wicklow to Mayo, this is the full story of Martinmas in Ireland and its vibrant European cousins.
We’ll explore:
- The “spilling blood” protection ritual – why a cock was killed and blood sprinkled on homes and people
- Wexford’s unbreakable fishing ban on November 10th and 11th – and the disasters that followed defiance
- How St. Martin’s Day became Old Hallowe’en after the 18th-century calendar change
- European Martinmas traditions: goose feasts, lantern processions, and new wine in Germany, Sweden, and Malta
- First-hand recordings from Michael Fortune’s fieldwork in Wexford, Carlow, Offaly, and Mayo
What Is St. Martin’s Day 2025? The Forgotten Irish & European Feast of November 11th
St. Martin’s Day, celebrated annually on November 11th, commemorates Saint Martin of Tours (316–397 AD), a Roman soldier turned Christian monk whose feast day became one of medieval Europe’s most important agricultural and spiritual markers. Known as Martinmas in English tradition, Lá Fhéile Mhartain in Irish, or Martini in German-speaking regions, the date signaled the end of the harvest, the slaughter of livestock, and the onset of winter.
In Ireland, St. Martin’s Eve (November 10th) and St. Martin’s Day (November 11th) were once as significant as Halloween or St. Patrick’s Day in rural communities. The day was marked by:
- Animal sacrifice (“spilling blood”) for protection and fertility
- Fishing and milling bans due to supernatural danger
- Feasting on goose, hen, or cock
- Threshold rituals – blood sprinkled on doorways and corners
Though largely faded from urban Ireland, St. Martin’s Day 2025 survives in fishing villages, mill towns, and among older generations – especially in Wexford, where the superstition remains ironclad.
“There is a common belief in Wexford never to go fishing on the 10th of November.”
– Local saying, recorded by Michael Fortune
Who Was Saint Martin of Tours? The Soldier Saint Behind Martinmas
Saint Martin of Tours (316–397 AD) is one of Christianity’s most beloved saints – patron of France, soldiers, winemakers, geese, and the poor. Born in Roman Pannonia (modern Hungary), Martin served in the Imperial cavalry before converting to Christianity at age 18.
His most famous legend: while stationed in Amiens, he encountered a freezing beggar. Martin cut his military cloak in half with his sword and gave it to the man. That night, Christ appeared to him in a dream wearing the cloak – leading Martin to be baptized and eventually become Bishop of Tours.
Martin died on November 8th, 397, but his funeral procession on November 11th – through a miraculously blooming landscape – cemented the date as his feast. His cult spread rapidly across Europe, and by the Middle Ages, Martinmas was a major holiday rivaling Christmas.
Why a Goose on St. Martin’s Day?
Legend claims geese betrayed Martin’s hiding place when he was elected bishop (he was humble and didn’t want the role). The birds were punished by becoming the traditional Martinmas goose – roasted across Europe on November 11th. In Germany, Martinsgans is still served with red cabbage and dumplings.
The Irish “Spilling Blood” Ritual: Protection, Superstition, and Animal Sacrifice on November 11th
One of the most visceral Irish St. Martin’s Day traditions was the “spilling blood” ritual – a pre-Christian survival adapted into Catholic practice. On St. Martin’s Eve or Day, a fowl (usually a cock) or occasionally a larger animal was killed, and its blood sprinkled around the home for protection against evil, sickness, and bad luck in the coming year.
Renowned folklorist Michael Fortune has documented this ritual across Ireland:
- Wicklow, Carlow, Offaly, Tipperary, Mayo: Blood scattered on thresholds and four corners of rooms
- Crosses drawn on foreheads with blood for personal protection
- Cocks preferred – hens were too valuable for egg-laying
“I recorded one woman in Mayo in 2008… her father would rub the blood on their foreheads, and you can see her shivering from the thought of it still.”
– Michael Fortune, fieldwork recording
In Wexford, the ritual was less common but still practiced into the mid-20th century. The blood was believed to create a spiritual barrier – a liminal act as winter began and the veil between worlds thinned (echoing Samhain/Hallowe’en).
Why a Cock? Gender, Fertility, and Sacrifice
Cocks were chosen because:
- Hens were economically vital (eggs, breeding)
- Young cockerels hatched in spring were surplus by November
- The cock’s crow wards off evil – its death transferred protective power
Why Wexford Fishermen Never Sail on St. Martin’s Eve (Nov 10) or Day (Nov 11)
In Wexford – from Arklow to Kilmore Quay – one superstition reigns supreme: never go fishing on November 10th or 11th. This taboo is observed by herring fleets, trawlers, and even modern commercial vessels.
Michael Fortune recorded the Scallan brothers in Wexford Town in 2017:
“We always try our best not to be at sea on the evening of the 10th or 11th of November – out of superstition.”
In Cahore and Kilmuckridge, the ban is absolute. Even if herring shoals are thick and weather perfect, boats stay docked. Defying the rule invites disaster – a belief backed by centuries of tragic tales.
| Location | Superstition | Still Observed 2025? |
|---|---|---|
| Wexford Town | No fishing Nov 10–11 | Yes (Scallan brothers) |
| Cahore | No boats leave harbor | Yes |
| Kilmuckridge | Absolute ban | Yes |
| Arklow | Herring fishermen avoid | Partially |
True Tragedies: The 1762 Wexford Bay Disaster & 19th-Century Tinnaberna Storm
The most famous St. Martin’s Eve tragedy occurred in 1762 in Wexford Bay. A massive herring shoal appeared on November 10th. Despite warnings, 70 fishermen launched their boats. A sudden storm sank them all.
Poet John Boyle O’Reilly immortalized the event in “The Fishermen of Wexford”:
“They launched their boats on St. Martin’s Eve / Though the old men cried, ‘Beware!’”
The Tinnaberna Miracle (1810–1820)
From the Schools’ Folklore Collection:
“Two fishing cots went out on St. Martin’s… blown out to sea… The crew of one cot fell asleep… they were blown on the ‘Rocks of Wales’… The bodies of their comrades washed ashore… The survivors walked from Ballycotton to Wexford.”
– John Kavanagh, Naomh Bríghid, Blackwater
The Millwheel That Must Not Turn: St. Martin’s Death and Irish Mill Folklore
Another Wexford superstition: no millwheel turns on November 11th. Local legend claims Saint Martin was killed by a millwheel – though historical records say he died naturally.
Michael Fortune recorded Martin O’Connor in Kilmuckridge:
“My father never ran the mill on St. Martin’s Day… Another mill ignored it – and bad luck followed.”
This taboo likely merged Christian hagiography with pre-Christian water spirit beliefs – mills were liminal sites where worlds met.
St. Martin’s Day = Old Hallowe’en? The Calendar Shift That Moved Ireland’s Spooky Night
In the old Julian calendar, Hallowe’en (October 31) fell 11 days later – around November 11th. When Britain and Ireland adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, the date shifted, but some traditions lingered.
St. Martin’s Day thus became known as “Old Hallowe’en” in parts of Ireland, with bonfires, house-calling, and supernatural fears echoing Samhain.
| Calendar | Hallowe’en Date | St. Martin’s Day |
|---|---|---|
| Julian | November 11 | Same |
| Gregorian (1752+) | October 31 | November 11 |
European Martinmas 2025: Goose Feasts, Lantern Parades, and New Wine
St. Martin’s Day remains a major holiday across Europe:
- Germany: Martinsgans (roast goose), St. Martin’s pretzels, children’s lantern processions with songs
- Sweden: Mårtensgås dinner, black soup, goose feasts
- Netherlands: Children go door-to-door with lanterns singing Sint-Maartenliedjes
- Malta: Il-Ħobż ta’ San Martin – special bread bags for children
- Portugal/Spain: Magusto – chestnuts, new wine, bonfires
Does Anyone Still Celebrate St. Martin’s Day in Ireland 2025?
Yes – especially in Wexford and among older rural communities. The fishing ban is the strongest survivor. Some families still avoid heavy work or travel on November 11th.
Michael Fortune confirms: “The Scallan brothers, Cahore fishermen, and Kilmuckridge locals still observe it religiously.”
Meet Michael Fortune: Author of The Folklore of Wexford Volume 2
Michael Fortune is Ireland’s leading field folklorist, with over 1,000 hours of recorded interviews. His latest book, The Folklore of Wexford Volume 2, includes never-before-published accounts of St. Martin’s Day superstitions.
Get your copy here and explore more at michael-fortune.ie.
FAQ: St. Martin’s Day 2025, Blood Rituals, Fishing Superstitions & European Customs
Why is St. Martin’s Day on November 11th?
It commemorates the funeral of Saint Martin of Tours in 397 AD, which occurred on November 11th.
Why do Wexford fishermen not sail on November 10th or 11th?
Ancient superstition – defying it brings storms and death, as in the 1762 Wexford Bay tragedy.
What is the “spilling blood” ritual on St. Martin’s Day?
A cock or hen is killed; blood is sprinkled on doorways, corners, and sometimes foreheads for protection.
Is St. Martin’s Day the same as Old Hallowe’en?
In the old Julian calendar, Hallowe’en fell on November 11th – so yes, in folk memory.
What do they eat in Germany on St. Martin’s Day?
Martinsgans (roast goose), red cabbage, dumplings, and pretzels.
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