Today - he feast of St. Vincent - used to be called "Sunbeam Day," from an ancient superstition that a bright-beaming sun on this day foretells good luck throughout the year. An old rhyme has it - "Remember, on St. Vincent's Day,
If that the Sun his beams display
It is a token, bright and clear,
Of prosperous times throughout the year."
Our forefathers were much more fond of giving special names to days than we are, though we have still "Boxing Day" and "May Day," and "All Fools Day." Mondays seemed to be special days most often and already in the first and second weeks of January we have had "Hansel Monday" and "Plough Monday."
The Irish Times, January 22nd, 1930.
