Irish Baptism Customs and Traditions
The Irish customs and traditions are steeped in history and have special meaning for the family of the new baby. Baptism is the introduction of a new child into the Church community. Catholics believe the holy sacrament of Baptism allows the child into the life of God.
Some traditions in Ireland call for the Christening garment to be made of pure Irish linen. The Irish also have special prayers or blessings to be spoken over the child on the christening day, one example you can see in the picture.
The Irish use a traditional Christian ceremony which includes a more formal form of symbolic practices. The priest will spot the sign of the cross on the forehead of the child and invite the parents and the godparents to do the same. The cross is the traditional symbol of Christianity and is a reminder of the love of Christ.
Parents, godparents and the other participants then gather around the Baptist font with the priest. The font varies in each religion and is traditionally represented by a large bowl of water made of stone or metal. Typically, the mother keeps the child above the font.
Then the priest calls everyone to make the promises of baptism on behalf of the child. The child will be splashed with the holy water during the ceremony. Typically, this happens twice, once on the head and once on the chest.
With the mother still holding the child above the font, the priest pours water over the head of the child while he speaks the words: “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
The father of the child or the godparent stands next to the child and holds the baptismal candle. The candle symbolizes a sign of new life and the light of Christ.
Name Traditions
Typically, Irish babies are named for relatives in their family, thus there are a lot of the same names in families. For many years the custom was to name the babies as follows:
Baby Names for Girls
1st Daughter – Maternal grandmother’s name
2nd Daughter – Paternal grandmother’s name
3rd Daughter – Mother’s name
4th Daughter – Mother’s oldest sister’s name
5th Daughter – Father’s oldest sister’s name
Baby Names for Boys
1st Son – Paternal grandfather’s name
2nd Son – Maternal grandfather’s name
3rd Son – Father’s name
4th Son – Father’s oldest brother’s name
5th Son – Mother’s oldest brother’s name
Traditional Irish Christening customs
An old Irish tradition is for the baby’s mother to gift her Claddagh ring to the child if she has a daughter. While giving an adult-sized ring to a newborn might not be the most practical Christening gift, a symbol to this ritual is seen in gifts adorned with the Claddagh symbol of the heart, hands and crown.
The Silver Coin
Another Irish christening custom is to give the baby his first silver coin at the christening. Placing the coin in the child’s hand before the ceremony begins, ensures that the child will have a prosperous life.
Do you know of any other tradition or custom that are specific to Ireland? Please let us know in the comments below.
