Halloween in Ireland......
Halloween in Ireland is a modern day adaptation of the ancient pagan tradition of Samhain which was mid-winter in celtic Ireland. It was a huge celebration of the harvest & abundance bestowed by the pagan gods of the earth, a kind of Bacchanalian feast. When christianity came to Ireland Samhain was adapted to pay homage to the christian God with special reverence to those who died leading to the tradition of All Souls Day a solemn religious holiday here where the names of the dead are remembered during the month of November. It used to be a great honour in Ireland to die that day, thereby gaining automatic entry to the pearly gates. So it is still a time of slowing down, long winter nights and spooky goings on with bonfires, apple and nut harvest and for us (uniquely) the barn brack tradition. This is a bready kind of a cake made at Halloween in Ireland of fruit and nuts and hidden inside wrapped coins (for wealth)& for one lucky recipient a ring denoting that they will be next to be married....
Halloween in Ireland has its very own brand of witch called the Banshee.
Irelands most feared witch whose appearance near a household foretold of an imminent death in the family. Weeping and wailing by night, it struck horror into the people of rural Ireland while it could just have the wind, who knows? Telltale signs like strands of wispy grey hair (sheeps wool) caught on a fence were thought to be a sign she had passed that way. Depending on local beliefs a hovering blue light (some sort of ethereal gas) was thought to be another incarnation of the dreaded banshee. Progress in the form of the electric light was thought to have banished the fairies and frightened the banshee? Some comfort at last compared to the gloom and darkness of those remote wild places where the worst was easily envisaged on a cold dark night......
Halloween in Ireland fairies & leprechauns....
Sorry to dissappoint you but there is no such thing as leprechauns in Ireland, so apologies to any would be believers in crocks of gold....Another Disney invention brought about by films like Darby O'Gill and the little people or fairies. Now you are talking Fairies do exist, oh yes and here in Ireland we do not mess with the fairies, who are known to live in very special places like fairy rings, which are raised earthen circular mounds which you will see all over Ireland. You are welcome to visit, walk around, make a wish, but leave no trace....It is thought to be very bad luck to interfere with these mounds such as driving motorways through them, bad very bad.....Certain trees are considered very special too especially hawthorns which country people will never chop down or remove for fear of disturbing the fairies who are likely to reak havoc if disturbed, sour milk, cause crops to fail, animals to sicken and die.....don’t say you weren't been warned !
For kids fun at Halloween in Ireland please click here.
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