Paganism and protest. These two things twirl around the recent bank holiday like ribbons on a maypole. On the one hand, the 1 st of May is associated with Beltane, an ancient Celtic festival which rejoiced at the arrival of summer. It was celebrated with bonfires, and is linked to fun, fertility and renewal. The early May bank holiday is also associated with the flame of political conflict. On 4 May 1886, a bomb detonated near Haymarket Square in Chicago, after police came to break up a rally held to support striking workers. Many citizens and police officers were killed or injured. The protests and strikes occurred from 1 - 4 May to advocate for an 8 hour work day. In 1889, the International Socialist Conference decided that, in commemoration of the Haymarket riot, the 1st of May would be a holiday known as “International Workers’ Day”. It was moved to the nearest Monday in 1978 by the Labour party. Both concepts, radical socialism and a spring pagan festival, seem to have littl