A little late, I know, but as we have just entered a new month, I thought I would post a little bit about the month ahead.
March winds and April showers
bring forth May flowers
Names for this month:
Latin
Martius
French
mars
Spanish
marzo
Portuguese
Março
Italian
marzo
German
März
Welsh
Mawrth
Scots Gaelic
am Márt
Irish
Márta
The month is named after Mars, the Roman god of war, as military campaigns tended to begin in the spring. Mars was also related to agriculture. It was originally the first month of the year, hence why the months from September to December had names meaning seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth months.
An Old English name for the month was
Hlȳda (from which the modern word 'loud' comes), possibly relating to the roaring March winds. Poetically, the month was often called
Lide.
Some important dates this March:
1st - St David's Day (Wales)
2nd - Mother's Day
5th - St Piran's Day (Cornwall)
7th - New Moon
8th - International Women's Day
10th - Commonwealth Day
16th - Palm Sunday
17th - St Patrick's Day (Ireland)
20th - Spring Equinox, Maundy Thursday, Iranian New Year
21st - Full Moon, Good Friday
23rd - Easter Sunday
24th - Easter Bank Holiday (UK except Scotland)
25th - Lady Day/Annunciation
29th - Clocks go forward 1 hour
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