Samhain: The Irish Roots of Halloween

Think Halloween began in America? Think again! Long before pumpkins and party shops, Samhain was Ireland’s new year; a liminal night of fire, ancestry, and the thin veil. In this unmissable episode, Dublin tour guide and storyteller Helena Murphy brings the Irish roots of Halloween vividly to life; from the Wheel of the Year and sacred fires on the Hill of Ward to divination, extra places set at the table, and the genuinely creepy turnip 'Jack o’ Lanterns'. We hear how dressing up began as a way to fool wandering spirits; why Irish hospitality extends to the dead; and how these traditions still pulse through modern festivals. It's a lovely episode, full of surprises; you will never look at Halloween the same way again. If you would like to know more about Helena’s tours, visit Original Dublin here and you can check out Helena on Instagram here ; and if you would like details on the Púca Festival, head to pucafestival.com A huge thank you to Helena for joining me for this episode. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can listen to Samhain: The Irish Roots of Halloween online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Samhain: The Irish Roots of Halloween is an episode from The Celebration Sessions by Conor Clear.

This episode is 44:40 long.

This episode was published on Sep 13, 2025.

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