THE PURSUIT OF THE GIOLLA DACKER AND HIS HORSE

Tóraigheacht an Ghiolla Dheacair.
This Irish story is known from the 16th century.
The opening paragraphs provide a direct Irish reference to Beltaine as the beginning of the Celtic year
from: Old Celtic Romances
PW Joyce (1907: republished 2000 and also published on-line)
Wordsworth Editions Ltd in association with FLS Books, The Folklore Society, p. 173.

CHAPTER 1

Arrival of the Giolla Dacker and his horse

One day in the beginning of summer, Finn, the son of Cumhal, the son of Trenmore O'Baskin, feasted the chief people of Erin at Allen of the broad hill-slopes.  And when the feast was over, the Fena reminded him it was time to give chase throught the plains and the glens and the wilderness of Erin.

For this was the manner in which the Fena used to spend their time.  They divided the year into two parts.  During the first half, namely, from Bealtaine [the first of May] to Samhain [the first of November], they hunted each day with their dogs; and during the second half, namely from Samhain to Bealtaine, they lived in the mansions and the betas [the houses of public hospitality] of Erin; so that there was not a chief or a great lord or a keeper of a house of hospitality in the whole country that had not nine of the Fena quartered on him during the winter half of the year. "