The Irish Origins of Halloween

Leaving seasonal offerings at Neolithic sites is common practice in Ireland. This one was left at Lough Crew’s ancient cairns.
The spooky October season has arrived. Feel the cool and crisp air on your face, marvel at the trees bursting into autumnal reds, golds and oranges, listen to the leaves crunching underfoot, smell the air is filled with chimney smoke, and taste the autumn veggie harvest back on the menu.
All of this means one very important thing – Halloween in Ireland is just around the corner.
But where does this spooky holiday come from? Just what exactly are the origins of Halloween? Today this holiday is wildly popular – costumed children, carved pumpkins, scary stories, tasty treats and more.
But did you know that the festival of Halloween actually originated in Ireland? More than 2,000 years old, Halloween began life as a pagan festival called Samhain (pronounced saw-when), with traditions that have changed surprisingly little from ancient times to our modern interpretations.
Read more about Halloween’s origins as the Celtic festival of Samhain.