Dr Críostóir Mac Cárthaigh, Director of the National Folklore Collection in UCD, discusses old Irish Samhain - or Halloween from nuts in the fire to tell the future to seeing the infamous púca.
Dr Mac Cárthaigh discusses the significance of the quarter days of the Celtic year, Samhain marking the beginning of winter. Based on what has been collected by the National Folklore Collection, Halloween has been celebrated in various ways in Ireland from putting nuts in the fireplace to tell the future.
Samhain marks the transition from the light period of the year into the dark, when the dead were believed to be visible, particularly on All Souls Day, November 2nd. Traditionally, feasting, celebration and merry making took place to mark the turn of the year.
From signs in the weather to how the moon looked on Oíche Shamhna, Mac Cárthaigh says the high points in the calendar were often viewed as an opportunity for divination, to tell the future. For example, if the weather was very windy on Halloween night, it was believed that the winter ahead would be particularly stormy.
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