Irish Halloween:  A Spooky Way to Express Your Personal Irish Side!

The traditions of Irish Halloween have Celtic roots, and celebrating this holiday the Irish way is a great way to express your Irish side!

To understand this celebration from an Irish perspective, we have to go back in time, literally thousands of years, to a Celtic feast of the dead called Samhain.

"Feast of the Dead?"  Seriously?  We'll come back to that.

Irish Halloween: A Jack-O-Lantern with a Pint!

This festival also marked the beginning of the new year a long, long time ago, in a land that is now called Ireland.

So there you go, right off the bat ... a couple of bits of trivia to share at your next Irish  party. 

If you would like to know more about Irish customs like these, please visit our main section on Irish trivia and traditions here...

Meanwhile, please enjoy some interesting information on Irish Halloween traditions!

The History of Irish Halloween in Six Sentences...

Halloween was originally intended to mark the end of summer, since the pagans worshiped the solar and lunar cycles.

It was believed that the end of summer made it possible for spirits to pass over from beyond on that day.

As a result, the pagan Irish would wear costumes to disguise themselves, so that evil spirits could not harm them during Samhain.

Bonfires were lit around the area to guide friendly spirits, as it was believed that the fire could help them return to their resting places.

The Celts were terrified of the end of summer and did everything in their power to make this day easier.

Many present-day traditions have developed from these ancient rituals, making them particularly fascinating for those with an interest in Irish culture.

Irish Halloween - Leprechan Costume

Traditional Irish Halloween Costumes...

Costumes were worn during this time in an attempt to both trick the evil spirits that had crossed over and to scare or intimidate the townspeople.

The purpose of the intimidation was because the group of men who wore the costumes were asking for food from the houses that they visited.

Some believe that the intimidation was done in jest, much like it is today.

The door-to-door procession was always led by a man dressed as a white mare. Each man would also carry a hollowed out turnip with a candle in it, which might have been the origin of the jack-o-lantern.

The men would also sometimes wear animal hides as part of their costumes.

Irish Halloween Jokes, Poems and Quotes...

Here are some fun words about Halloween.  Are they really Irish?  Don't know.  But one of them is a limerick, so - that's close enough!

Our visitors who are parents will appreciate this proverb...

Children have the devil in their bellies at Halloween.

Of course with modern children, we may be able to attribute their behavior to sugar in their bellies, rather than the devil.  Just saying.

And here is the aforementioned limerick, highlighting the spookiness of Halloween:

Old McGhee of 1835

Went fishing but didn't survive

When out at the dock

He fell on a rock

On Halloween his ghost is alive!


Want More Irish Traditions?

It is probably obvious - at Irish Expressions, we love Irish traditions!

Expressing ourselves through Irish-themed activities gives us a deeper sense of connection with Ireland, wherever in the world we happen to be!

Over the years, we have created many free, downloadable Irish games, puzzles, recipes, songbooks, travel guides, party plans, and much, much more.

These are immediately available to you - completely free of charge.

Just scroll to the bottom of the page and share your email address to get instant access!

What's Next?

At Irish Expressions,our our goal is simple: to provide you with a unique Irish experience, on demand, wherever you are in the world.

If you have enjoyed our section on Irish trivia and traditions, you have probably been exposed to many of the most entertaining ways to express your personal Irish side!

Will that entice you to visit Ireland - or to return if you have already been?  We hope so!  

But even if that is not possible, you can still enjoy the magic of Ireland in these pages.  Check out the links at the top of this website for simple instructions on how to sing Irish songs, use Irish words, enjoy Irish food, and much more!

You can also visit us on FacebookTwitter or Pinterest to see amazing pictures and interact with amazing people who share a love of Ireland.

We would love to hear from you - please send us a note here and let us know how we are doing. 

Until then - thanks for visiting Irish Halloween traditions!  Please continue exploring your Irish side at Irish-Expressions.com.

Want to Feel More Connected to Ireland?  Here's How!

At Irish Expressions we believe everybody – well almost everybody! - has an "Irish side."  So how nice would it be to have access to a fun, free Irish experience, on demand, wherever in the world you happen to be?

Over the years we have compiled many free, downloadable resources including lyrics, recipes, games, jokes, blessings and much, much more.  

Would you like to receive them ALL for FREE?  Simply share your email for instant access!

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Here is the Ultimate Irish Expression

The ultimate expression of your Irish Side is your personal coat of arms (family crest). This powerful image of your family's history and origins can be at your fingertips, for free, in a matter of clicks.  Courtesy of our friends at House of Names.  Want to have a look?

Search for Family Name Button

Want to Feel More Connected to Ireland?  Here's How!

At Irish Expressions we believe everybody – well almost everybody! - has an "Irish side."  So how nice would it be to have access to a fun, free Irish experience, on demand, wherever in the world you happen to be?

Over the years we have compiled many free, downloadable resources including lyrics, recipes, games, jokes, blessings and much, much more.  

Would you like to receive them ALL for FREE?  Simply share your email for instant access!

SEND MY FREE IRISH EXPRESSIONS!

* indicates required

A Note from Bruce

If you would like to see more from Irish Expressions, you can find us on Facebook, and Pinterest. You can also communicate directly with us, using our contact form here.  And you can always connect with me at bruce@irish-expressions.com. 

However you choose to reach out, we would love to hear from you!  Meanwhile, thanks for visiting!  I hope that we will meet someday, in person or online, and you can tell me about your own connection to the Emerald Isle.

Until then, best wishes -

Bruce Grady, and the team at Irish-Expressions.com


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