Halloween

Hi folks! As Halloween is approaching, this week’s blog post is about all things spooky! Why do we celebrate Halloween here in Ireland? Where does the name Halloween come from? Why do children ‘trick or treat’? This post will answer all these questions and more!

To explore the roots of Halloween, we have to go back about 2000 years ago. Before Christianity came to Ireland, the Irish people followed Celtic traditions.

The Celts saw the world a bit differently from the way we see it today. They considered that the day began in darkness and became brighter as it progressed. They saw the year in the same way – with a darker half (winter) and a brighter half (summer). The Celtic year began in dark Winter and finished at the end of Autumn. They called this time when autumn ends and winter begins Samhain (pronounced ‘sow-in’).

At Samhain, the Celts believed that the division between the physical world and the spirit world became very thin. This meant that spirits and other supernatural creatures could pass into the physical world.

Why do we dress up at Halloween?

Some of these spirits were deceased ancestors paying a visit to their families. They were welcomed and offered food. Other spirits had bad intentions so people dressed up as evil spirits to avoid harm. This is why it has become a tradition to wear a costume at Halloween – to protect yourself from the real evil spirits!

Why do children say ‘trick or treat’?

If they received a gift, it was believed the ghosts would do no harm. So the Celts made offerings of food in order to appease the ghosts. However, if they had no gifts for the ghosts then the house would be cursed and have bad luck for the following year. So nowadays we give treats (sweets, apples etc.) to children (ghosts) so they don’t play a trick (curse the house).

Why do we light ‘bonfires’?

Bonfires are big fires that are lit in public spaces. They are very common in Ireland at Halloween. There are several theories about the origins of the bonfire. One theory says that all household fires had to be extinguished and then relit from the communal bonfire. This symbolised the new year and the victory of light over dark. Other theories say the bonfires helped the spirits find their way back to the underworld or warded off the evil spirits. Yet another theory says bonfires were lit in honour of the Sun God. Perhaps all of these theories are true!

What is a ‘Jack-O-Lantern’?

The ‘Jack-O-Lantern’ has become the most prominent symbol of Halloween. It’s a pumpkin carved out to look like an evil face. People often place candles in them to ward of the evil spirits. The tradition was originally done in Ireland with turnips. Although the tradition died out in Ireland, it was taken up in America using pumpkins and now has become popular in Ireland again, but also using pumpkins!

Where does the name Halloween come from?

The word Halloween is an abbreviation of ‘All Hallows Eve’ a Scottish term for the last day of October which dates back to 1745.