Looking for spooky haunts when visiting Ireland? We’ve got a few!
Take a guess at how to pronounce the Gaelic word Samhain. Go on, guess!
The answer is “SAH-win”, and it was actually the original Halloween. First observed by the Celtic pagans in Ireland almost 2,500 years ago, it’s still celebrated in the Emerald Isle today! So if you’re wondering when’s the best time to visit Ireland and you love folklore, feasts, and festivities, try this spooky season!
What’s more, Samhain has influenced many of today’s Halloween traditions, so we’re showing you how and telling you the best places to visit in Ireland to see it all!
The Irish Origin vs. Today’s Tradition
Carving Jack-o’-Lanterns
Origin:
Carving Jack-o’-lanterns started in Ireland with turnips, not pumpkins! The Celts believed that during Samhain, spirits would enter the realm of the living. So, they carved scary faces into these root vegetables to ward them off.
Today:
When Irish immigrants first moved to the U.S., they began carving jack-o’-lanterns from pumpkins, as these were native to the region. Plus, they found them much easier to detail with intricate designs!
Where to Go:
The Ancient Celts celebrated Samhain all throughout the British Isles, not just Ireland! In the U.K., Belfast is also a top destination for Halloween lovers–offering scary movie screenings, Halloween museum events, and pumpkin (not turnip) patches where you can carve your very own jack-o-lantern!
Wearing Costumes
Origin:
During Samhain, the Celts disguised themselves as ghosts and devils, so that spirits wandering the Earth wouldn’t mistake them for humans and terrorize them! Costumes were handmade; back then, you definitely couldn’t find local costume shops popping up around October.
Today:
Nowadays, we wear costumes not for protection from spirits, but for fun! Many are still handmade, but you still have the option of buying them around local shops and online!
Where to Go:
Dublin is full of costume festivals this time of year. The capital is home to one of the best Halloween festivals in the world–the Samhain Parade, a celebration of ancient and modern traditions, and of course, costumes!
Trick-or-Treating
Origin:
Originally, the Celts would leave out banquet tables laden with delicious foods to appease hungry ghosts. During the Middle Ages in Scotland, the practice of “mumming” became more popular. Scots dressed as demons, ghosts, and otherworldly creatures, performing silly antics in exchange for food and drink.
Today:
From the 19th century ‘til the 1930’s, Halloween was mostly a holiday where kids were out pranking. So to add a few treats in with the tricks, parents began handing out gifts! They started off as coins, toys, or home-baked goods, but turned into candy as the holiday grew in popularity.
Where to Go:
Celebrate the original feasting and drinking at reportedly haunted pubs in Dublin like The Brazen Head (the city’s oldest!), or the Kavanagh’s, nicknamed “The Gravediggers” because it’s built into a cemetery wall!
Lighting Candles and Fires
Origin:
Not all of Samhain is about evil ghosts! Back then, towering bonfires were used to guide kindly, lost souls towards the afterlife.
Today:
During Halloween, we normally light up jack-o’-lanterns with candles and not much else. But in Ireland? Bonfires have been widely replaced by another blazing spectacle–fireworks and electric parades!
Where to Go:
For those interested in a Samhein light show, Cork’s Halloween parade is the place for you! The highlight? The Dragon of Shandon–a massive, 36 ft. dragon made entirely of tape and decorated in bright lights!
You can also head to Glasglow, Scotland, where there’s a breathtaking Halloween fireworks display and lantern parade for visitors!