Everybody’s heard of Halloween, and the goths have heard of Samhain. But many don’t realise that this festival actually originated in Ireland, not the USA! They just jazzed it up a bit for us! 🎃
The Celts believed that the veil between the dead and the living was at its thinnest around this time of year, the Celtic New Year. Naturally, it’s the best time for the spooks to slip through. 💀
So if you want to do something a little different to carving Jack-O-Lanterns, and visiting Ireland is an option, here are some ideas!
Derry: Europe’s Largest Halloween Festival
Every year, Derry holds a four day/four night long Halloween festival. The ancient city begins the festival with The Awakening, and after the ritual is complete, ghosts, ghoulies and mythical creatures walk/shuffle among us! 🧟
There’s a Carnival Parade, a firework display, shows, tricks and mischief happening all over the city.
For more information, visit: www.derryhalloween.com
Cork: The Dragon of Shandon
While I haven’t been to Derry, I have done Halloween in Cork. The Dragon of Shandon parade was better than I expected. Shandon is Cork’s spooky quarter with its famous church bells, old cottages and haunted hotels! (We’re looking at you, Maldron! 👻)
The art community of Cork pool together to create the 36 feet long dragon skeleton, and help bring it to life in an unearthly parade, led by floats, giant skeletons, zombies, and possibly a couple of jump scares!
Co. Meath: Púca Festival
If you want to leave the hustle and bustle of the cities, visit Ireland’s Ancient East, where you’ll be surrounded by fairy forts (that’s not a joke) and awakened spirits.
Púca means “ghost” in the Irish language, and Athboy in Co. Meath celebrates Summer’s End (Samhain) with one hell of a bang. National treasures (musicians, comedians, entertainers) are in the lineup, along with a huge procession, fires being lit and fires being danced with, the castle will also be lit up and projected onto.
Dublin: The Nightmare Realm
Literal nightmare-fuel, Dublin go a bit OTT for this one. Not for the kids, the sole purpose of this place is to scar you. Nope, not “scare”, not a typo.
Here you’ll go through a maze of haunted attractions, stories and scenarios, watch scary movies, and the staff will go out of their way to freak you out. 😱
The Nightmare Realm has recently moved to Kylemore, about 20 mins on the tram/Luas from Dublin city centre. Tickets cost approximately €20-25.
Alternatively,
Pubs and bars will have fancy dress parties, and different towns will host a variety of events, such as their own smaller parades, horror movie viewings, firework displays, children will be trick or treat’ing and every shop will be full of candy!
