According to Irish mythology, Samhain (like Bealtaine) was a time when the 'doorways' to the Otherworld opened, allowing supernatural beings and the souls of the dead to come into our world; while Bealtaine was a summer festival for the living, Samhain "was essentially a festival for the dead". [33] In Ireland, Halloween has long been associated with otherworldly creatures and stories of how the fairies would carry you away if you were out on Halloween night. The Celts believed that the veil between this world and the world of the dead grew thin at Samhain, the Irish harvest festival that inspired the Halloween traditions we know today. 19/10/2017. Samhain is a Gaelic festival, which marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter or the “darker half” of the year. This Celtic tradition is still observed by some minorities today. Halloween has its roots in Samhain, but they are not the same thing. Halloween has become a children’s favourite because of the Samhain is a pagan religious festival originating from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition. In modern times, Samhain (a Gaelic word pronounced “sow‑win”) is usually celebrated from October Learn about Donn, the Irish Lord of the Dead, in time for Halloween. Most people are aware these days that Halloween is the Christian overlay of a celebration far more ancient, a pagan Celtic Long before Halloween “Jack-o’-lanterns” and “trick-or-treating”, there was the festival of “Samhain” (pronounced “sow-in” – where “sow” rhymes with “cow”). This ancient Celtic festival marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the darker half of the year. Samhain was celebrated from sunset on October Samhain ( pronounced /sow-ween/ in Irish) is the final fire festival of the Celtic year. Between October 31st and November 1st, the harvest season comes to a close and winter is ushered in. The traditions that we use to celebrate Halloween today began thousands of years ago with this ancient Irish high holiday. Traditions and customs of Halloween/Samhain. The festival of Samhain, the first day of winter, was marked on the 1 November. As with many traditional festivals, it was the evening beforehand when most celebrating took place. The eve of this day, Oíche Shamhna, Hallowe’en, is still celebrated all over Ireland with feasting and games. Blindfold games meanings. A favorite game was to blindfold the Irish person and ask them to place their hand on some Halloween items. A bowl of water meant emigration, a piece of earth meant a October 30, 2023 at 10:32am GMT. The origins of Halloween lie deeply rooted in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Emerging in Ireland as a marker of the changing seasons, it signaled the Mairéad Ní Ghráinne. Mairéad Ní Ghráinne is a writer, lover of languages, and native Irish speaker from Connemara, County Galway. Having studied Irish, French, Creative Writing, and Childcare, it comes as no surprise that Mairéad is passionate about all things creative, whether playing the fiddle at a local trad session or painting Irish landscapes inspired by her travels. Batman: The Long Halloween is a 13-issue American comic book limited series written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It was originally published by DC Comics in 1996 and 1997. [ 1 ] It was the follow-up to three Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight Halloween Specials which were reprinted in Batman: Haunted Knight by the same creative team. Halloween is a holiday celebrated each year on October 31, and Halloween 2024 will occur on Thursday, October 31. The tradition originated with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people Irish Halloween Traditions. As Christianity spread across Europe, including Ireland, pagan rituals of Samhain died over time. In its place, Halloween became the main festivity although some of the traditions of Samhain remained. Bonfires were lit across Ireland during Halloween night, reminiscent of the ancient Samhain rituals. The Irish Origins of Halloween: Samhain Festival Almost everyone the world over knows about Halloween. From trick or treating to bonfires, and pumpkin carving to scary games and stories, the holiday has become a staple in the western world but do you know its origins? According to Kelly, Halloween took root in the U.S. sometime around the 19th century, when the Irish immigrated to America, bringing their traditions and celebrations, including All Saints’ Day Halloween has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. During Samhain, people would dress up in costumes and light big bonfires to ward off evil spirits. Nowadays, Halloween is celebrated around the world with candy, costumes, and carving pumpkins. Today I will share exactly how the Irish invented Halloween! Halloween's origins can be traced to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Over the centuries, Halloween evolved, taking on Christian influences, European myth and American consumerism. Children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door for treats is a relatively modern tradition—but its origins can be traced to the Celts and even a long-lost Christmas tradition. Halloween, or All Hallow’s Eve, comes from an ancient Celtic festival called Samhain, which predates Christianity by a long shot, so the origins of Halloween or Samhain are at least a few thousands of years old. Read on to find out more about the Irish origins of Halloween.
Articles and news, personal stories, interviews with experts.
Photos from events, contest for the best costume, videos from master classes.