Tristan Rosenstock speaks to folklorists, storytellers and poets about Halloween in Ireland, its cultural roots and how being closer to the dead than ever captured the imagination and creativity of the people.
Folklorist, Jonny Dillon says that the turn of the year from light into darkness provides the perfect threshold to feel closer to the 'other world'.
Sa chlár seo pléann Tristan Rosenstock na nósanna, deasghnátha agus piseoga a bhaineann le hOíche Shamhna in Éirinn fadó. Is iomaí ainm a thugtaí ar an oíche speisialta seo nuair a síleadh go raibh na mairbh níos gaire dúinn ná aon oíche eile sa bhliain. Oíche na gcleasanna, oíche na haimiléise, oíche na spioradanna agus bhíodh meas ag daoine ar na spioradanna seo.
Míníonn lucht an bhéaloidis, chomh maith le scéalaithe agus filí an tréimhse mhistéireach sa i bhféilire na hÉireann agus iad ag caint ar an iompú nádúrtha a dhéanann an aimsir ó laethanta geala fada go hoícheanta, dorcha, fuara. Labhair Jonny Dillion ó Chnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann faoin tabhacht a cuireadh riamh in Éirinn ar tháirseach an dorchadais ag an am seo don bhliain. Tá an ceiliúradh seo ar Oíche Shamhna greannta in samhlaíocht an phobail agus tá sin fós le sonrú in litríocht agus i gcruthaitheacht na ndaoine.
Cé go ndéantar an tréimhse seo den bhliain a mharcáil i dtraidisiúin eile ach go háirithe timpeall na hEorpa, deir an Dr. Gearóid Ó Cleirchín go bhfuil an nasc leis an saol eile níos láidre in Éirinn ná in aon áit eile.
Dillon says that whilst local traditions change from place to place, the main themes run through the festival and one of those is an extra mindfulness and sometimes a reluctance to going out at night, where spirits might walk with the living. Houses were often cleaned before Halloween night, acknowledging that the dead could visit their homes that night. Fairies, or 'daoine maithe' could also visit that night and they weren't welcomed in the same way the spirit of the dead were and were regarded as a more malevolent force.
