The Primrose is a perennial flowering herb.

It is frequent in most places such as shady banks, damp woods and hedges. It comes into bloom during March; the flowers are delicate and have a 2-4 cm diameter and the petals are usually pale yellow, but occasionally they can be orange-brown. The primrose has a basal rosette of leaves which are evergreen in favoured habitat.

This plant provides colour in the Mayo country-side from March until May.

Traditionally the primroses are used with the gorse shrub to decorate the door and threshold on May Day (Là Bealtaine). This practice, one of the many traditions associated with this day, still survives to this day.

Its name comes from two latin words meaning "first rose", the botanical one is Primula Vulgaris while the Irish one is Sabhaircain.