Is Halloween Irish or American?
Halloween is seen as an American cultural export to the world but people rightly ask, is Halloween Irish or American? This is because of the Irish roots of Halloween, originally the Celtic festival of Samhain. It is now widely accepted that Halloween was introduced to the US because of the great potato famine in Ireland.
The Ancient Origins of Halloween.
The Celtic new year was celebrated 2,000 years ago on November 1. This was the end of summer and harvest time, generally a time of celebration but also the start of the cold, dark winter, a time of year associated with people dying.
The boundary line between the worlds of the living and death became blurred on this ancient New Year’s eve, night of October 31, the Celts celebrated Samhain and it was believed that the ghosts of the dead rose.
For a detailed history of Ancient Halloween: – https://www.history.com/topics/halloween/
How Halloween came to America
Puritan America did not really have many celebrations but this changed dramatically in the 1840’s when Ireland’s devastating potato famine brought millions of Halloween-loving Irish immigrants over from across the Atlantic.
Americans loved the traditions of Halloween and for them the celebrations with the tricks and treats were a great way of letting off steam once a year.
Pumpkins started replacing turnips when it came to carving the usual Jack-o-lanterns and today Halloween is seen as a distinctly American holiday that’s invaded Irish and European culture but, in reality, it is the other way round.
So keep in mind when celebrating Halloween, that is one of the most distinctly Irish celebrations on the annual calendar – save for St. Patrick’s Day of course.
But let’s not forget about those ghosts who come back to life..
Do you know about Ireland’s most famous ghosts?
The Witch of the Cliffs of Moher:
Poor Mal, even though she had magic at her disposal, she could never manage to cast a spell over her lover.
Red Mary of the Burren:
She was mighty before her fall! Red Mary McMahon, of Leamanagh Castle in the Burren, pretty much dominated the region in the 17th century. She managed to hang onto her castle through three marriages and the birth of a dozen children
She was ruthless with her enemies, male enemies were hung from the neck until dead and her female foes were hung up by their hair until they starved.
However, Mary met her end, she was dethroned and sealed inside a hollow tree to die. During night time, the moaning wind in the woods is rumoured to be Red Mary begging to be released.
Read more about Red Mary: – https://www.theirishplace.com/heritage/red-mary-ghost-leamaneh-castle/
The Ladies in White and Black at Galway:
There are two well known ghosts haunting Galway, The Lady in White and the Lady in Black.. Read about them below.
The Dark Lady of Donegal:
Ineen Dubh was the very definition of defensive, knowing that her Castle Mongavlin was much desired by rebel leaders. It is said that she is the Dark Lady who haunts the castle appearing without warning but never showing her face. – Read more: – https://www.monreaghulsterscotscentre.com/mongavlin-castle/
The Ghost of Ballygally:
On the Antrim Coast, Ballygally Castle is said to be haunted by the “friendliest ghost Ireland” – Read her story here.
What did the Dark Hedges hide for 240 years?
For more than 240 years, these parallel rows of beech trees have been gradually growing toward each other, creating the effect of a canopy which is the perfect place for ghosts to hide.
Halloween on Social media…
Kerry Experience Tours
ᴏɴʟʏ 4 ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴅᴀʏꜱ ᴛᴏ ʜᴀʟʟᴏᴡᴇᴇɴ!
ᴅɪᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ……
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘦𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘶𝘱 𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘴 – 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/LoveIrelandGroup/posts/1340510756486085
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