Every Halloween, modern-day Druids go to the Hill of Ward in Co. Meath to welcome in the Celtic New Year.
Before Christianity came to Ireland, Halloween was the pagan festival of Samhain, held to celebrate the Celtic New Year at the beginning of the winter.
RTÉ News reporter Richard Dowling visits Tlachta, the Hill of Ward in Co. Meath where modern-day druids have revived the ancient rituals of Samhain and are lighting fires for the ceremony. Local historian Joe Conlan explains that fire could attract evil spirits, so first the druids had to settle the spirits and then they lit a fire to symbolise that all was well. One woman says she has come here because it is the original Samhain site.
| Title: | Druids Perform the Rites of Samhain at Halloween |
| Clip Duration: | 00:01:25 |
| Material Type: | Video |
| Clip Title: | Druids Perform the Rites of Samhain |
| Series Title: | RTÉ News |
| Information: | A RTÉ News report broadcast on 31 October 2005.
Halloween (a shortening of All Hallows’ Evening) is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day incorporates traditions from pagan harvest festivals and festivals honouring the dead, particularly the Celtic Samhain.
Every year on Halloween night, the Samhain rituals are re-enacted on top of the Hill of Ward in Co. Meath. |
| Local Keywords: | Halloween, Samhain, Pre-Christian Ireland, Celtic New Year, Paganism, Druidism, Druidry, Christianity, Local history, Ancient sites, Tlachta, Hill of Ward, Joe Conlon |
| Coverage: | Ireland |
| Genre: | News |
| Topic: | National Holidays, Festivals, Anniversaries, Annual Events |
| Provider: | RTÉ |
| Contributor(s): | Richard Dowling (Reporter) |
| Publisher: | RTÉ |
| First Broadcast Channel: | RTÉ One |
| Production Year: | 2005 |
| Country of Production: | Ireland |
| Original Identifier: | BN05/304 |
| IPR Restrictions: | Rights Reserved - Free Access |
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| Item Type: | part/extract |
| Colour: | Colour |
| Sound: | Mono |
| Aspect Ratio: | 4:3 |
| Language: | English (eng) |
| Original Language: | Irish (gle) |
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