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By Johanna Gardener • Published: 31 Oct 2024 • 22:47 • 3 minutes read
The Samhain festival is celebrated across Ireland like here in Limerick Credit:X:@raleighreports
Halloween has become an international sensation with pumpkins, sweets and lanterns all becoming familiar features of the well-loved tradition, yet how many of us knew that the spooky festival may actually have its roots in an Irish pagan festival called Samhain?
Across the world, Halloween is celebrated in a multitude of ways with people holding diverse speculations on its origins or history or perhaps, holding none at all. Often referred to as “All Souls Day,” it has been common for people to look towards Mexico for answers. Most certainly, there are some cultural crossovers with Mexico’s “Día de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead) but Ireland claims that the origins of Halloween can actually be sourced back 2,000 years to the Emerald Island itself.
According to experts on the subject, Halloween started with the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain, (pronounced sow-en – meaning end of summer), a Celtic celebration held in Derry, Northern Ireland, which marked the end of the harvest season, in readiness for the arrival of Winter. There was the belief that the date marked the end of the calendar year, and that at this point, the veil dividing the human world from the spirit world was at its thinnest, increasing the probability of the coming of evil spirits. On this night, 2000 years ago, Irish people lit bonfires and wore costumes and masks to ward off evil spirits. People would avoid travelling alone or at night, turnips would be carved out and lit with a candle, and there was a general ambience of fear and terror to be felt by all.
Other traditions on this historic night included a harvest of fruit and nuts, where people could feast, while playing games. There was lots of entertainment on offer as a distraction from the terror that loomed overhead. With the arrival of Christianity to Ireland in the early 5th Century, the term Samhain was changed to Halloween. This was due to the evening being reconceptualised as the Feast of All Souls, the evening before the Feast of All Saints (The Hallowed Ones). From this point onwards, a cross was placed above the main door of the house to deter evil spirits and bad luck omens from cursing the home for the year ahead.
Not only Derry but also the Hill of Ward, County Meath, is said to have been an ancient venue for the Samhain festivals. Its round shape brings chilling visions of late night pagan festivities. Other parts of Ireland lay claim to being the birthplace of Halloween traditions. In County Roscommon, a cave marks what was known as Ireland’s Gate to Hell. Located near Rathcrogan, the ancient capital of Connacht and a major archaeological area, archaeologists like Daniel Curley have confirmed that for 2,000 years, locals had believed “that the gate between the worlds opened on 31 October.” Speaking to the BBC, Dr. Curley said: “Monsters and manifestations would emerge, led by the goddess Morríghan, to create a world ready for winter, including birds with foul breath that would strip leaves from trees. Locals would stay indoors in fear of being dragged into the other world when the ghouls had finished ravaging the land.If you had to go outside you wore a costume and mask to look hideous.That way you would be left alone and not dragged into the otherworld.”
The original Samhain traditions were passed down, generation after generation, and as Irish people began to emigrate across the world due to famine and poverty, they carried these traditions with them. Over time, the festival has evolved to adapt to the many countries where Irish roots have spread and taken hold. It is estimated that across the world, 70 million people claim to have Irish heritage and 40 million of these are in the US, which could offer a worthy explanation for the enormous popularity of Halloween in the United States in particular, and across the globe with some of the original customs being almost the same 2,000 years on.
Today, in Derry, Northern Ireland, the festival lives on as villages continue to organise events connected to the original Samhain traditions including spectacles with animal masks and representations of mythical stories and creatures, as well as impressive parades and fireworks. They also acknowledge the culinary importance of the festive day, basing dishes on harvest produce. Ireland is currently trying to push these regional celebrations internationally to encourage visitors from abroad to get a taste of the original Halloween and enjoy the evening like they’ve never done before.
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Originally from Manchester, UK and with a degree in English with Modern Foreign Languages, she has been a permanent resident in Spain for the past 12 years. Many of these years, she has spent working as a secondary school teacher, as well as in journalism, editing and marketing. She currently lives in the historic centre of Malaga, where she enjoys writing, walking and animals.
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