Ireland: Home of Halloween

Halloween is a time for thrills, chills and being scared silly. Bet you didn’t know that everyone’s favourite fright-filled holiday began in Ireland?  If you trace Halloween back to its origins, you’ll find yourself in the mists of pagan Ireland over 2,000 years ago – a time when the ancient festival of Samhain was celebrated In Ireland’s Ancient East, to mark the end of the harvest season and the dawn of winter. 

Legend has it that during Halloween, the barrier between our world and the Otherworld is at its weakest, allowing spirits and demons to cross over more easily. To combat the darkness, the Celts lit bonfires to fend off evil spirits and honour the shift between the living and the dead. They placed embers inside hollowed-out turnips to symbolize the light of the living in contrast to the shadows of the spirit realm and wore costumes and masks for protection against fairies and potential abduction.

Halloween was a festive occasion that featured feasting and games to celebrate the abundant harvest. Families paid tribute to their ancestors, while communities united for spiritual reflection and to welcome new beginnings. Traditional activities included bobbing for apples and playing tricks on one another.

In the 19th century, when Irish immigrants introduced their Halloween customs to North America, many traditions adapted to fit the local landscape. This blending of practices led to the development of the Halloween we recognize today.

For instance, the Irish practice of carving turnips transformed into the more widely known pumpkin carving, as pumpkins were more readily available in North America. Additionally, customs like bobbing for apples became popular, incorporating local agricultural elements.

The emphasis shifted from honouring ancestors and spiritual reflection to more community-oriented festivities, such as trick-or-treating and costume parties. This evolution reflected the melding of diverse cultural influences, resulting in a uniquely American celebration of Halloween.

Every year, across the island of Ireland, there are a wide range of celebrations for Halloween. You’ll find a nice mix of quirky local fare, and sprawling festivals that are known the world over.

Puca Festival

County Meath

Celebrate Halloween at the site of the first Samhain bonfire in Ireland’s Ancient East! In Athboy, the Hill of Ward was an important gathering place for Samhain, where it’s said all the fires in Ireland were rekindled. Recent archaeological finds show it was also a spot for feasting and celebration. This is when the Púca, a mysterious creature from Irish folklore, comes to life, changing the fortunes of those who encounter it. The festival features supernatural music, comedy, and a highlight event: The Púca Procession combining outdoor theatre, street performance, and music to honour Samhain lore, nature, and ancestry. As day turns to night and the veil thins, witness the journey of shape-shifting spirits.

Derry Halloween

County Derry, Londonderry

Derry Halloween is Europe’s largest and most vibrant Halloween celebration and for over 35 years, has captured the imaginations of visitors from all over the world. For four nights the worlds of past and present collide to bring visitors a dazzling street celebration of all things spooky in the official home of Halloween. Follow the Awakening the Walled City Trail and find out more about the folklore, history and heritage that makes this place so special. The story of Halloween is brought to life through illumination, aerial performance, pyrotechnics and music, as the spirits cross over to join the festivities, bringing magic and mischief to the streets.

Bram Stoker festival

County Dublin

A festival with a true bite, honouring the legacy of Bram Stoker, the creator of Dracula, born and raised in the capital city of Dublin. This celebration pays tribute to one of Ireland’s most cherished and iconic writers and has evolved into one of Ireland’s largest arts festivals. Inspired by Stoker’s life, work, and the Dublin of his era, the festival embraces the Gothic, the supernatural, the after-dark, and the Victorian. It features a blend of outdoor spectacles and intimate experiences, including world film premieres, award-winning theatre productions, nighttime circus performances in dark forests, comedy shows in nightclubs, and choral music in dimly lit libraries. Events take place across cathedrals, parks, and squares, exploring Stoker’s literary influence while entertaining generations of little monsters with discos, workshops, face painting, and engaging performances.

If you’re not able to make one of the many festivals or events, there’s always opportunity for a spooky experience year-round to celebrate the spirit of Ireland’s ancient and mythical history. Here are the 5 most haunted places on the island of Ireland:

1. The Hellfire Club, County Dublin - This secluded site was where the worst of the 18th century’s idle rich were rumoured to play cards with the devil.
2. The Dark Hedges, County Antrim - Watch out for the “Grey Lady” who glides silently along this famous tree-lined avenue before vanishing into the dusk.
3. Duckett's Grove, County Carlow - These gothic ruins have long been haunted by a banshee who foretold the death of Duckett family members.
4. Ballygally Castle, County Antrim - It is said that you'll see the spectre of the lady of the castle, Isobel, roaming the halls of Ballygally...
5. Seafield House, County Sligo - It's said that no priest could exorcise the poltergeist from this once opulent 19th century country house.

You can celebrate the season with your clients with the help of Tourism Ireland’s Custom Halloween Toolkit full of content that explores the history, traditions, and fun facts surrounding Halloween and the Celtic festival of Samhain. 

This Halloween, as you carve your pumpkin, get dressed up for Trick or Treating or search your slice of barmbrack for prophetic symbols, remember those ancient Celts who boldly faced the darkness head on. Better yet, save the date for 2025 and book an autumn break for yourself and your clients to come celebrate the enduring legacy of Samhain with us in Ireland: home of Halloween.

2024-10-23 18:37:46