samhain customs

Discover the origins of Halloween in Ireland. Explore 6 Irish Halloween traditions from Samhain masks, lanterns, Bairín Breac, trick-or-treating, and more.

The idea of night and day was central to everyday existence in Celtic culture. Bealtaine and Samhain were two of their most important holidays. Their year was split between a dark half and a light half, and the transition from one to the other was celebrated with festivities. Samhain is a term that is often translated to mean “summer’s end,” and it was certainly a festival that took place during the darker half of the year.