By Connor Robertson
As the evenings darken and a chill creeps into the air, Ireland prepares for one of its oldest festivals, Samhain. Long before Halloween became costumes and sweets, Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the dark half of the year. Celebrated from sunset on the 31st of October to sunset on the 1st of November, it was a time when the veil between worlds grew thin, a liminal moment rich with folklore, spirits and ancient rites. Rooted deeply in Irish soil and spirituality, Samhain shaped how we mark the passing of seasons, honour ancestors, and celebrate what the world now calls Halloween.
The Celtic New Year
Samhain was one of four ancient Celtic festivals, alongside Imbolc, Bealtaine, and Lughnasadh. While Bealtine celebrated fertility and growth, Samhain marked death and dormancy, a sacred pause in the wheel of the year. In the Celtic worldview, time was circular, not linear. Samhain wasn’t an ending; it was the Celtic New Year, when light gave way to darkness and life gave way to death. For farming communities, it was also practical; the final harvest gathered, cattle sheltered or slaughtered, and fields left fallow. It marked survival, renewal, and preparation for the long winter ahead.
Welcoming Ancestors
At Samhain, the boundary between this world and the otherworld was at its thinnest. The dead could return, not in fear but in reverence. Families honoured by ancestors by lighting candles, setting places at the table, and leaving offerings of food and drink. But not all spirits were benevolent. Without proper rites, misfortune could follow. To ward off wandering beings, people wore disguises to confuse harmful spirits. These early practices evolved into the costumes we associate with modern Halloween.
Bonfires on the Hills
Samhain was a fire festival, marked by great communal bonfires that lit up the hilltops. One of the most significant sites was the Hill of Tlachtga (now the Hill of Ward, Co.Meath), where fires symbolised protection, purification and renewal. Families would extinguish their hearths at home and relight them from the central Samhain fire, binding the community together in ritual.
Folklore and the Otherworld
Samhain has always been steeped in myth and legend. Spirits like the Púca were said to roam the countryside, spoiling crops or leading people astray. Even Ireland’s great heroes were said to encounter otherworldly forces during Samhain. At Tara, the Mound of Hostages, an ancient passage tomb aligns with the rising sun as Samhain, showing how deeply the festival was woven into both astronomy and spirituality.
From Samhain to Halloween
With the arrival of Christianity, Samhain was transformed but never erased. The church established All Saints’ Day on the 1st of November and All Souls’ Day on the 2nd of November, continuing the theme of honouring the
dead. Irish emigrants later carried these customs abroad, especially to North America, where they merged with other traditions to create modern Halloween.
Honouring the Old Ways
Today, Samhain is experiencing a revival. Festivals around the country reimagine ancient customs through music, art and storytelling. Spiritual communities and heritage groups honour the season with fire ceremonies and ancient altars, keeping the old practices alive in new ways. In the Quiet Between Seasons Samhain reminds us of the fragile boundary between life and death, light and darkness, seen and unseen. It’s a festival of reverence, not fear. A celebration of our ancestors, the turning of the seasons, and the enduring spirit of Irish tradition. In the quiet between the last harvest and the coming frost, Samhain still speaks, in shadow, story, and flame.
