Liberty Caps: Ireland’s Sacred Psilocybin Mushroom & International Psilocybin Day - September 20th
- Gaelic Fungi Farms
- Sep 16
- 3 min read
As the wheel of the year turns towards autumn, a special date arrives on the calendar for those who honour the deep connection between humans, mushrooms, and the land: September 20th, International Psilocybin Day.
This day is dedicated to raising awareness around the healing potential of psilocybin-containing mushrooms and the importance of protecting the sacred fungi traditions of our ancestors. And here on the western edges of Europe, there’s one small but mighty mushroom that carries with it centuries of lore and medicine: the Liberty Cap (Psilocybe semilanceata).
The Little Cap with Great Power
Liberty Caps, often affectionately called “libs,” are tiny mushrooms with a conical, pointed cap – humble in appearance but extraordinary in spirit. They are one of the oldest psilocybin mushrooms known to science, first officially described in the 1800s in Britain. Yet long before that, they were quietly part of the land’s own pharmacopeia, growing in the meadows, mossy pastures, and sheep fields where our ancestors walked.
Carriers of Ancestral Medicine
For countless generations, fungi have been companions to humanity – as food, as medicine, and as spiritual teachers. Liberty Caps remind us of this lineage. They embody the wisdom of the soil, the rain, the grass, and the cycles of the seasons. To connect with them is to connect with the medicine of the land itself.
They rise from the earth where we live, whispering that profound healing and insight are not always far away or hidden – sometimes they are waiting in the fields just beyond the hedgerow.
Why September 20th Matters
International Psilocybin Day (20/09) is a day for reflection, education, and respect.
It is a call for greater understanding of psilocybin’s role in mental health, spirituality, and ecological awareness. Around the world, researchers are now confirming what Indigenous and ancestral traditions have long known: psilocybin mushrooms can help heal trauma, ease depression and anxiety, and reconnect us with a sense of meaning.
Choosing 920 (20th September) is symbolic – 920 is a mirror to 420, the day associated with cannabis culture, but it’s also perfectly timed with the arrival of autumn in the northern hemisphere, when Liberty Caps begin their seasonal emergence.
Holding Space for the Future
As more people turn back to the old ways of healing and seek natural allies in their wellness journeys, Liberty Caps stand as guardians of an ancient path. They remind us that the answers we are seeking have always been here, rooted in the land and waiting patiently for us to remember.
On this International Psilocybin Day, let’s pause to honour the Liberty Cap – not just as a mushroom, but as a teacher, a medicine, and a symbol of freedom of mind and spirit.
Honouring Irish Voices in Psilocybin Research
For those curious to dive deeper into the story of Liberty Caps, we are fortunate to have a shining light in Ireland: our good friend Ciara Sherlock. Ciara has dedicated years to studying these sacred mushrooms, and her beautiful book on Liberty Caps in Ireland is an invaluable resource.
Her work blends history, science, and lived experience – weaving together the cultural significance of Liberty Caps with their role in personal and collective healing. If you are seeking to understand the profound importance of these mushrooms on Irish soil, this is a must read. You can get a copy of the book below:
May we walk gently with them, protect their habitats, and carry their wisdom forward into a future where humans and nature are in balance once again.
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