The Best of Ireland: Rustic and Rural Traditions
Discover the rustic way of life in Ireland. Only traditional country cottages in county Kilkenny offer visitors the chance to live life how it was intended – in a pristine, natural environment.
Think spacious gardens and rural settings, all within easy reach of the medieval heart of Ireland… and you’re only halfway there!
Yet there’s even more to explore and experience in Ireland. In a country rich with traditions, did you know you can even find out more about the true origins of the festival of Halloween?
Now celebrated annually and recognised as a North American holiday, today’s Halloween rituals are actually based on a Celtic festival from Ireland. Halloween as we now know it, with the costumes and decorations, is descended from the ancient pagan festival of Samhain.
Even though the contemporary spirit of Halloween has been largely influenced by the different versions of the celebration brought to North America by Irish immigrants in the nineteenth century, many traditional elements still remain. For instance, today’s costumes, masks and wigs imitate the initial practise of wearing masks and costumes to either placate or mimic evil spirits who might chance to descend on the festival.
Another traditional element in North American and global Halloween festivities is the carved pumpkin head with the candle, often termed the “Jack-o’-lantern.” This dates back to the Samhain revelry, when a carved vegetable head was used to ward off maligned spirits according to a superstition.