Halloween

"Cleary was burned to death by her husband and family members, who claimed that they had done so to force fairies to return Cleary, whom the family believed had stolen and replaced with a changeling."

"Darkest Ireland" and the burning of Bridget Cleary

The criminal trial following the 1895 torture and murder of the Tipperary woman was a media sensation home and away.

Folklore • 13 Oct 25

Bully's Acre in Dublin, a popular hunting ground for medical students seeking bodies for dissection. Photo: Shane McCorristine

The dark, grisly history of body-snatching in Ireland

The 19th century trade in dead bodies saw medical students regularly raiding burial grounds for corpses to dissect

History • 13 Oct 25

I always feel like somebody's watching me: Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula and Frances Dade as Lucy in the 1931 film of Dracula based on the novel by Bram Stoker. Photo: Culture Club/Getty Images

Was Dracula Irish?

It is possible to view the Count as Irish or influenced by the Ireland of Bram Stoker's time in many ways.

Vampires • 23 Oct 25

The zombies are on the march. Photo: Danilo Urbina https://www.flickr.com/photos/hojas_cayendo/

Could you survive a zombie apocalypse?

Humans can imagine beating vampires but zombies are a much different matter

Zombies • 13 Oct 25

'By embedding their fears in tales of spirits and supernatural entities, people could manage the unknown through ritual and belief, placing human anxiety into a structure they could better understand.'

What's behind our fascination with Samhain's haunting legacy?

Beyond spooky costumes and carved pumpkins, Halloween carries an ancient legacy rooted in fear, folklore and the unknown

Halloween • 13 Oct 25

All you ever wanted to know about vampires

Here's how science can help explain how various vampire legends have developed

Halloween • 13 Oct 25

Woman with Halloween make up looking in the mirror

The trending Halloween make-up looks to try for 2025

From Wicked's witches to coquette clowns – here are the viral looks for this year's Halloween.

Fashion • 10 Oct 25

Does the road to hell begin in Cork?

How one man's drink-induced unconscious trip in 12th century Cork reshaped how the Western world imagines eternal damnation

Folklore • 08 Oct 25

Wide view of two mothers with their children picking pumpkins for Halloween at a pumpkin patch field in Newcastle, England on a nice day in October. The kids are dressed up in Halloween outfits.

13 pumpkin patches to visit around Ireland this Halloween

Whether you're a scream queen or a scaredy cat, Halloween offers plenty of ways to celebrate the turning of the season, and there's no better way to make the most of it than visiting a pumpkin patch.

Halloween • 06 Oct 25

5 places to celebrate Halloween with the kids this October

Are you ready for spooky season?

living • 15 Oct 25

The best celebrity Halloween costumes of 2024

Another Halloween has come and gone, but the Instagram snaps will last a lifetime.

Halloween • 01 Nov 24

10 warming dishes to make to use up your Halloween pumpkins

Why throw away your Halloween pumpkin when it could be the basis of a delicious and warming meal?

Food • 01 Nov 24

Heidi Klum unveils ET-inspired Halloween costume

Queen of Halloween Heidi Klum has channelled a scene from Steven Spielberg's 1982 film ET The Extra-Terrestrial, dressing as the character in disguise wearing a hat and blonde wig alongside her husband Tom Kaulitz.

Entertainment • 01 Nov 24

Before midnight, there were 494 calls to fire stations in Dublin and 421 ambulance call-outs. (File Image)

Busiest Halloween night for Fire Service since 2021

Firefighters in Ireland had their largest number of Halloween calls since 2021 last night with 1,195 calls made in Leinster.

Ireland • 01 Nov 24

There's a Chance of a Ghost this spooky season!

In the new Podcast from RTÉjr we follow Amy and Dagobert, two 11-year-old paranormal podcasters on the hunt for evidence of things that go bump in the night.

Chance of a Ghost • 31 Oct 24

9 things to do in Dublin this weekend (Nov 1-3)

From a market crawl across the Liberties, to screenings of film noir classics in Smithfield, there is plenty to be doing in Dublin this weekend.

Halloween • 31 Oct 24

Dublin Fire Brigade warned they have seen 'injuries to the upper body, hands, fireworks going off in people's hands' (file image)

Firework risk highlighted ahead of Halloween night

Dublin Fire Brigade has warned about the dangers of fireworks and bonfires ahead of what it expects to be its busiest night of the year.

Ireland • 31 Oct 24

The Lamparagua by May Crommelin - a spooky tale for Halloween

Especially for Halloween, we present a selection from the chilling new anthology Your Own Dark Shadow: A Selection of Irish Horror Stories.

Books • 31 Oct 24

The haunting history of Halloween

Luke Rix-Standing dares to investigate the creepiest night in the calendar.

living • 31 Oct 24

See our top picks of the best Halloween movies on the streaming sites

13 spooky movies to stream this Halloween

Spooky season is here and we've got the perfect Halloween movies for you - from family friendly choices to films you should only put on once the kids are tucked up in bed!

Movies • 31 Oct 24

'Halloween is an important event in the calendar and marking it in your way makes children feel included and share common experiences with their peers'

6 tips to help kids with sensory issues enjoy Halloween

Halloween can be a unsettling, overwhelming and distressing time for children with sensory issues so here's hold to help

Halloween • 29 Oct 24

Leatherface returns in The Texas Chain Saw Massacre

5 horror video games to play for Halloween

Whether you're after a high-stakes horror, a fun multiplayer with a spot of carnage, or even a spooky comedy, video games are one of the best ways to enjoy Halloween.

Gaming • 29 Oct 24

How to handle Halloween if your kids have dietary issues

Here are a few simple tips on navigating Halloween for children with special dietary requirements such as coeliac disease, diabetes and allergies.

living • 08 Oct 25

Folklorist Edwina Guckian on keeping Samhain traditions alive

Edwina Guckian cut her teeth on Irish folklore and mythology. Literally.

lifestyle • 14 Oct 25

13 spooky movies to stream this Halloween

Spooky season is here and we've got the perfect Halloween movies for you - from family friendly choices to films you should only put on once the kids are tucked up in bed!

Movies • 25 Oct 24