Irish Origins of Halloween

After Dark: Myths, Misdeeds & the Paranormal

History Hit

Myths, Folklore, Mystery, History, Ghosts, Society & Culture, Murder, Ufos, True Crime, Paranormal, Supernatural, Serial Killers

4.6 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2024

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Pumpkins, trick or treating and ghost stories are what we associate with Halloween, but what about turnips, fairies and a fortune-telling cake? Anthony and Maddy are joined by historian Dan Snow, and host of sister podcast Dan Snow’s History Hit. They go in search of the origins of Halloween, rooted on the island of Ireland, in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when the harvest ends and winter looms.

The trio try Barmbrack cake, a fruit loaf filled with charms that foretell the fate of the consumer, and Dan speaks to food historian Dr Regina Sexton about the traditional

Samhain practices that inform our present Halloween customs. Meanwhile, Maddy and Anthony discover the historic Irish folklore of the ‘three worlds’, and the ghouls and fairies that occupy them, with Dr Kelly Fitzgerald. You can discover more at Ireland.com/homeofhalloween

Produced by Charlotte Long, Mariana Des Forges, Freddy Chick, edited by Tom Delargy, Dougal Patmore and the production coordinators were Beth Donaldson and Peta Stamper.

Transcript

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0:00.0	On mid-summer eve, when the bonfires are lighted on every hill in honor of St John, the fairies are at their
0:16.0	gayest, and sometimes steal away beautiful mortals to be their brides.
0:21.0	But on November Eve, sown or Halloween, the fairies are at their gloomiest.
0:28.8	For, according to the old Gaelic reckoning, this is the first night of winter.
0:35.0	The night the fairies of the other world dance with the ghosts.
0:40.0	The puka is abroad and witches make their spells.
0:45.0	It's a dark night and there's a chill in the air.
0:49.0	The breeze moves through the dank woodland in the old west of Ireland. Through the trees there is an opening.
0:57.6	Figures gathered around two huge bonfires. They're celebrating the end of harvest time. This was a grueling few weeks
1:08.9	of collecting all of the produce they've grown throughout the year.
1:13.0	They're marking the end of the lighter months,
1:16.0	welcoming with some trepidation the darkness to come,
1:21.0	and the threats of illness and starvation or even death that comes with it.
1:27.9	It's at this time of year so they believe the division between this world and the other world is at its
1:35.1	thinnest. The spirits of the deceased can move back and forth over the divide.
1:40.8	Now they are ready to greet and welcome their dead ancestors.
1:46.0	Some wear costumes so they can disguise themselves from harmful spirits.
1:51.2	This is the ancient Celtic festival of Sowen, and this is where Halloween began. Oh. Hello and
2:15.0	welcome to After Dark myths, misdeeds and the paranormal as ever.
2:20.0	I am Anthony Delaney
2:22.0	and I am Madi Pelling and today we are joined by none other than the
2:27.4	boss man himself we're on our best behavior it's Dan Snow.
	...

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