Halloween/Samhain (10/31)

This wasn't a big trip, but Halloween is special enough that I thought it warranted its own post.

As I may have alluded to previously, in our various explorations in Ireland we hear a lot of impressive historical claims.  Some of which turn out to be true, or perhaps a little embellished.   But upon further research, it does seem likely that Halloween originated in Ireland.

There was a millennia-old harvest festival called Samhain which started at sunset on October 31, and continued through November 1 (Samhain doubles as the Gaelic word for November).  Samhain included costumes, the remembrance of the dead, and treats. 

As they were wont to do, Christians in Europe then assimilated the pagan festivities, renaming the celebration All Hallows' (or Saints') Eve to remember the dead, and starting the tradition of trick or treating (poor children went door to door collecting free "soul cakes" if they promised to pray for the souls of the giving family).  Costumes were perhaps a way of hiding from any vengeful souls/spirits that were active that final night before ascending (descending?), or they may have been a way to dress up as the saints for poorer parishes that couldn't afford ornate iconography.

The modern version of Halloween didn't show up in the US until the mid 1800s.  Which I assume is connected to the large Irish migration during the Great Famine.

Fun fact: with no national Thanksgiving event, all the local decorations and celebrations pivot straight to Christmas after Halloween (which is admittedly becoming more common in the US too). 

We had hoped to travel to some of the larger festivals (there is understandably a lot of national pride over Halloween), but we just got too busy and instead buzzed over to nearby Tipperary Town (which is another town in our County Tipperary) for a couple hours.  It was rainy but fun.  We rode some rides, made some crafts, did a "spooky walk" and saw fireworks.  The girls created their own costumes from thrift stores here. 

Animals were popular

Since we didn't really get to trick or treat, I found some candy at the local grocery store and hid it around the house (this is a plastic skull container, but here it looks like a mix of Voldemort and Terminator and Jack Sparrow).

I also hid some candy in the car.  Note that Kate's cat ears are actually her braids.  Very clever and skilled.

At the town festivities

The girls rode the Terminator ride, which involved rotating in a big circle.  Not clear in the photo is all the kitschy Miami Vicey airbrushed artwork (cars, girls, trucks, guns, DJs, ...).  

I just want the record to show that I was entrapped by Sam into giving an impromptu lecture on counterweights after the ride, all for this "gotcha" photo.  I'm innocent!

The girls made buttons featuring their costume animals.

It's not clear what was haunted on the Haunted Trail.  It seemed just to be a walk along a dark sidewalk.

By now it was raining pretty hard (and we actually waited out the stormiest hour in our car), so the ladies donned ponchos

At the end of the walk we were surprised by industrial fireworks that started about 20 feet from us.  Maybe they don't have CPSC or ATF here?  But it was very cool and we all still have our eyesight.

 

Over the next few days, inspired by a variety of influences, I showed the girls both Terminator movies.