Samhain’s Origins at Boyne Valley Ireland
Living in the UK, it's inevitable that when you bring up Halloween, someone within earshot will echo back, ‘You know that the Celts are responsible for Halloween!’ Which, loosely, is true. The Celts of Ireland did lay the foundation for Halloween, but they celebrated a Pagan holiday called Samhain, or Oíche Shamhna (“Night of Samhain”). Samhain was an ancient celebration about 2,000 years ago, from the late Bronze Age (1200 - 500 BC) through to the early medieval period, that marked the transition from the lighter days of summer to the darker days of winter. What made Samhain unique was the Celts' belief in the magical world, from fairies to mythical monsters and sidhe, and their tradition of dressing as spirits to blend in with the sidhe and protect themselves from possible harm. This same acknowledgement of Northern Hemisphere seasonal change marked by feasting is seen across many ancient cultures, including the Vikings (discussed in the previous blog post), Native Americans, and Indigenous people of Russia.
The Pagan Celts in Ireland and Britain believed that the entire world was enriched with magic, from fairies to mythical monsters and sidhe. To understand Samhain from the Celts' perspective, we must look at the sidhe, a word for both the spirits of the Otherworld and the mounds from which they lived and ascended on Samhain. According to ancient folktales, Samhain was when the mythical world and the world of the Celts were closest, making it the easiest time for sidhe to pass from one to the other. This is where the costuming tradition comes into play: As part of the Samhain festival, Celts would dress as spirits to blend in with the sidhe and protect themselves from possible harm. There are legends of monsters attacking this night and being warded off by brave warriors, while other spirits like those of past ancestors were welcomed home. As an honourary offering, festival food from a communal fire and sacrifice was even prepared for the living and their dead ancestors.
Hill of Tlachtga, sourced from the Irish Independent
All ancient cultures utilised fire in significant and spiritual ways, and the Celts were no exception. On the night of Samhain, all fires within the home were extinguished, and a large bonfire was erected atop the Hill of Tlachtga, now called the Hill of Ward in Boyne Valley, Ireland. This central fire symbolised the end of the lighter half-year and the welcome of darkness to come. The large bonfire, referred to as The Great Fire Festival, was also used to prepare the feast of ritual sacrifice. This emphasis on fire in the Samhain celebration is a testament to the spiritual significance of this element in Celtic culture.
Hill of Tara, sourced from Celtic Native
At the Hill of Tara, the Mound of Hostages entrance aligns perfectly with the rising sun on the last day of October. However, there is evidence to believe that the Mound of Hostages is about 4,500- 5,000 years old; its use predates the arrival of Celts in Ireland by about 2,250 years. This suggests that although Samhain was a Pagan Celtic festival, there may very well have been native people celebrating the seasonal transitions at this site long before. The Boyne Valley is home to some of Ireland's most revered and mysterious pre-historic sites and passage tombs, dating in construction to over 5,500 years ago. Hill of Tlachtga and Hill of Tara both have concentric earthwork monuments built incrementally over centuries, with the most recent construction being at Hill of Tlachtga in 400 - 520 CE. This timeline of recent construction aligns with the arrival of Christianity in Ireland, which suggests that the ritual use of these sites may have shifted due to the influence of Christian ideologies.
Many still celebrate Samhain in traditional ways, maintaining a strong connection to our ancestors. You can sign up to attend Pagan events at the Boyne Valley and participate in a modernised ancient ritual. Although bonfires and sacrifice are not part of the Halloween traditions of the 20th and 21st centuries, the costuming and rhetoric of spirits ascending to our world are still held on October 31st. The celebrations we have today are derivative of the spiritual beliefs practised by our ancestors and adapted to suit widely accepted societal standards of the West.
Sources & Further Information:
Mullally, Erin. “Features - Samhain Revival - Archaeology Magazine - November/December 2016.” Archaeology Magazine, 15 Aug. 2024, archaeology.org/issues/november-december-2016/features/ireland-halloween-roots/.
https://boynevalleytours.com/samhain-the-celtic-roots-of-halloween/
