Home of Halloween

Rooted in Ireland dating back millennia

As the long, dark nights roll in swiftly like the mist that appears on the autumnal Irish landscape, it's easy to imagine how the shadows cast by firelight in the ancient Celtic countryside originally ignited the spark of Halloween over 2,000 years ago.

Halloween's origins are deeply rooted in Ireland, with traditions and customs that date back millennia to ancient Celtic practices.

Originally known as the festival of Samhain, it was the day that marked the end of the harvest season and the dawn of winter.

According to Dr Kelly Fitzgerald, head of the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore at University College Dublin, there are "layers here in Ireland – it's not a flat history, each group of peoples have added their layers to the narrative of what those stories are; whether those be mythological, historical or religious".

Samhain: The original Halloween

According to Fitzgerald, Samhain was the most significant festival in the Celtic calendar.

It was celebrated on 31 October when the Celts believed the boundary between the living and the dead was at its thinnest, allowing spirits to roam the earth.

To ward off any dark forces, colossal bonfires were lit and people wore costumes and masks that concealed their identities made from straw or animal pelts.

The bonfire