{"id":15283,"date":"2024-10-26T08:16:51","date_gmt":"2024-10-26T08:16:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/irelands-history-with-halloween-and-how-it-originated\/"},"modified":"2024-10-26T08:16:51","modified_gmt":"2024-10-26T08:16:51","slug":"irelands-history-with-halloween-and-how-it-originated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/irelands-history-with-halloween-and-how-it-originated\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland’s history with Halloween and how it originated"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The origins of Halloween can be traced back to several places across the island<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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As the leaves turn and nights grow longer, Halloween approaches.<\/p>\n

Typically a celebration steeped in mystery, folklore and ancient tradition.<\/p>\n

While today\u2019s festivities may include costumes, pumpkins and trick-or-treating, the origins of Halloween trace back to Ireland.<\/p>\n

Several regions across the island lay claim to the birth of this globally celebrated event.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Why are pumpkins carved? <\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Pumpkin carving was originally turnip carving across the island of Ireland <\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n

County Meath: The Hill of Ward<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The Hill of Ward (Tlachtga) is believed to have been a major centre for Samhain celebrations<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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One of the most significant claims to Halloween\u2019s origins comes from County Meath at the Hill of Ward (Tlachtga).<\/a><\/p>\n

This site is believed to have been a major centre for Samhain celebrations. <\/p>\n

The Celts would light ceremonial fires to welcome the new year and to guide the spirits.<\/p>\n

The bonfire at Tlachtga was said to be the largest in Ireland, with flames visible for miles around.<\/p>\n

The fires of other communities were lit from its embers, symbolising unity and protection as winter set in.<\/p>\n

Archaeologist Dr Steve Davis, from University College Dublin, was one of a team who spent the summer of 2014 working at Tlachtga, about 12 miles from the Hill of Tara.<\/p>\n

He told the BBC in 2014 that \u201cthere are very few monuments in Ireland that we consider comparable to this\u201d.<\/p>\n

“It is a magical and mystical place,” he said..<\/p>\n

“We have found evidence of intense burning there, whether you want to equate that with Samhain or not.<\/p>\n

“This monument is associated with fire. The medieval texts would associate this very strongly with an annual fire festival.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The Celtic festival of Samhain<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Halloween\u2019s roots can be found in Samhain (pronounced \u201cSow-in\u201d), an ancient Celtic festival that marked the end of the harvest season<\/a> and the onset of winter.<\/p>\n

Celebrated over 2,000 years ago, Samhain was a time when the veil between the living and the dead was believed to be at its thinnest.<\/p>\n

Spirits were thought to roam the earth, and the Celts lit bonfires and donned disguises to ward off malevolent entities<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Londonderry\u2019s stake in Halloween<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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Derry\u2019s ties to the ancient festival are celebrated through parades, fireworks and storytelling<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Derry is another location claiming ties to Halloween\u2019s origins.<\/p>\n

Known today for its spectacular Halloween celebrations<\/a>, the city has built a reputation as one of the world\u2019s best places to experience the holiday. <\/p>\n

Derry\u2019s ties to the ancient festival are celebrated through parades, fireworks and storytelling.<\/p>\n

While its claim may be more modern, Derry\u2019s emphasis on folklore and tradition keeps the spirit of Samhain alive and vibrant.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

County Roscommon: Ireland\u2019s gate to hell<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
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The entrance to the Gate to Hell does not look very scary<\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Nestled away in a field full of sheep in County Roscommon is what some people believe is the origin of Halloween – a cave known as Ireland’s Gate to Hell.<\/p>\n

It is located near Rathcrogan, the ancient capital of Connacht and a major archaeological area, home to 240 sites dating back 5,500 years.<\/p>\n

Local archaeologist Daniel Curley told BBC News in 2022 that \u201cat least as long as 2,000 years ago locals believed that the gate<\/a> between the worlds opened on 31 October”. <\/p>\n

“Monsters and manifestations would emerge, led by the goddess Morr\u00edghan, to create a world ready for winter, including birds with foul breath that would strip leaves from trees,” added Dr Curley.<\/p>\n

“Locals would stay indoors in fear of being dragged into the other world when the ghouls had finished ravaging the land.<\/p>\n

“If you had to go outside you wore a costume and mask to look hideous.<\/p>\n

“That way you would be left alone and not dragged into the otherworld.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Inside Ireland’s so-called Gate to Hell, which does like rather ominous <\/figcaption><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n
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Though several places across the island of Ireland lay claim to the origins of Halloween, the truth is that the festival\u2019s heritage is a shared one.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s the fire ceremonies at the Hill of Ward, evil spirits escaping from the Gate to Hell or the modern celebrations in Derry, each place adds a unique layer to the story of Halloween.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n


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Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Getty Images The origins of Halloween can be traced back to several places across the island As the leaves turn and nights grow longer, Halloween approaches. Typically a celebration steeped in mystery, folklore and ancient tradition. While today\u2019s festivities may include costumes, pumpkins and trick-or-treating, the origins of Halloween trace back to Ireland. Several regions […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":15284,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[48],"tags":[6380,1166,5902,6381],"class_list":["post-15283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-n-ireland","tag-halloween","tag-history","tag-irelands","tag-originated"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15283","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15283"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15283\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":15285,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15283\/revisions\/15285"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15283"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15283"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.godj.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15283"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}