Bonfires

A large outdoor fire for and by a community to mark some event. Bonfires were used in Celtic festivals particularly Beltane and Samhain - the latter being incorporated to Bonfire Night (Guy Fawkes Night).The word allegedly derives from Bone Fire - a fire in which the bones of slaughtered cattle were burnt at Samhain. The fire also purified and ritually rekindled the fires in each house.