Ireland: home of Halloween

 The wily Celts fought back against that darkness with masks to hide their faces from the undead, bonfires to banish the gloom and lanterns carved from turnips to ward off malevolent forces.

But Halloween was also a celebration when plentiful harvests were marked by feasting and games. People donned costumes and went from house to house entertaining their neighbours. They bobbed for apples and left out offerings of food to welcome the spirits of their ancestors.

Many traditions display a strong desire to see what the future might hold. Clodagh Doyle, Keeper at the Irish Folklore Division in the National Museum of Ireland, points out how many Halloween games aim to foretell the future. “This is a superstitious time of year. There’s a belief that you can get signs from the Otherworld about what your future may hold.”

Two thousand years later, many of these customs live on, carried to new lands by Irish emigrants and adopted by their descendants to honour their culture and (let’s be honest) have some fun.

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, book an autumn break and come and celebrate the enduring legacy of Samhain with us in Ireland: home of Halloween.