The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in Folklore

 

The Northern Lights have always been viewable from Ireland, yet there doesn't seem to be much folklore about them that I know of anyway growing up. Maybe farther North or in coastal areas they would be something that would be more "known" or talked about. 

Looking through the Irish Folklore Commissions Schools Manuscripts that are some references to the Northern Lights and Aurora Borealis. 

In Roscommon the following is recorded 

"Aurora Borealis
It is a sign of something unusual such as storms or gales. There was one at the end of January this year and there was terrible gales after it."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4811588/4799577/4929688

They are mentioned here in Cavan as well. In this account they are said to foretell change, a bit like lunar eclipses and other rare events.  

"I am sure everyone saw or heard about the northern lights which are seen by most people in Ireland, England and Scotland. These lights appeared in the sky one evening at the end of January.

That same evening my aunt called my attention to the sky which was becoming slightly pinkish in the west.
I stood for about twenty minutes watching the sky as it was becoming redder by degrees. At half-past seven the sky overhead was red. Sometimes it seemed as if a green mist came over the red. But alas these lights soon faded away. Those who were fortunate enough to see the sky marvelled at the beauty of it.
The proper name for northern lights is auroraborealis. Some people say it foretells of war or trouble. About the end of February, one evening I noticed that the sky was slightly pinkish, after about a quarter of an hour the pink disappeared and the sky was looking very dark, cloudy and angry."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5044824/5042016/5085200

There is also an account from Tipperary near Fethard and it seems to link it with the night of the Big Wind in Jan 1839. It doesn't specifically say it but it follows an account of the Night of the Big Wind and is about a Severe Weather event. 

This is backed up by an account of them occuring in Donegal on the Night of the Big Wind here.

"With startling suddeness the wind, striking with wild whistling moans, veered to North and back to North-West. By 8 o'clock the wind was due west. A fierce gale of terrific violence had now developed and it swept through Ireland causing widespread destruction, and reaching its climax by midnight. It still continued with unabated fury until far into the following day, Monday Jan 7th It was a night of terror in Ireland, and very few of its inhabitants closed an eye in sleep.

By 9 o'clock on that memorable Sunday night, as many people were reciting the Rosary, preparatory to retiring, the terrible hurricane from the Western heavens hit cabin and castle; and gathering in fury, it stripped many a house roofless, and hay and corn in cocks, ricks, and stacks were blown fields away, and in many cases miles away Boats were lifted bodily from the shelters, and crashed to pieces on the rocks, and many of them were blown high and dry inland The storm seemed to have disturbed the surface of the sea, because distinct traces of salt was found on vegetation in Tipperary and Offaly many miles distant from the ocean. Mud cabins were tumbled down, and even staunch stone built houses rocked and tottered The streets of villages, towns and cities were strewn with wreckage. Falling chimneys crashed on neighbouring roofs, windows were smashed, and bricks, stones and slates were blown sky high. In towns and cities many outbreaks of fire occured. The cries, moans and shrieks of frightend people, who were huddled together in groups, mingled with th sounds of falling masonry. Strange borealic lights in the Northern sky strengthened the belief that the end of the world had come."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922224/4862304/5021435

Another account from Tipperary near Caher linking the Northern Lights with stormy weather. 

"When the rain is about to fall we see very black clouds in the sky.
If the suns rays are white it is going to be bad weather. If the rain-bow is in the sky there is going to be plenty of rain.
If the birds are flying high it is a sign that it is going to be fine. If they are flying low it is a sign of rain. If the sky is grey it is going to rain.
If insects or midges are flying low in the evening it is a sign it is going to be wet. If the aurora borealis is in the sky it will be stormy."

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922257/4864701/5021236

And from Corville School. 

"If the "Aurora Borealis" is seen in the sky it is a sign of a storm." 

https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922190/4859493/5017842

There are over 60 accounts when you search for Aurora in the collection and of these not surprising it is mentioned in Donegal the most. 

However there is a mention in 19 out of the 26 counties that took part in the Schools Manuscripts including Clare, Sligo, Kilkenny, Roscommon, Leitrim, Longford, Carlow, Meath, Monaghan, Westmeath, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, Donegal, Mayo, Waterford, Cavan & Wicklow. 

There are over 70 accounts of "Northern Lights" and I haven't done the break down on that. 

I'm sure if you did there are probably even more mentions. 

It seems to have been a sign of bad weather in the past and it is interesting to note the storms in the Atlantic at the moment, probably just a coincidence but does the sunspot cycle maybe also have an effect on our weather too?