Ireland's Halloween history explored in new RTÉ documentary

Trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving and bonfires are now common Halloween traditions worldwide, but the holiday and some of these traditions began in Ireland.

Óiche Samhain has been celebrated in this country for millennia. A pagan tradition, Halloween night falls between the Old and New Year in the Celtic calendar.

Legend has it that on October 31 the veil between this world and another realm becomes very thin, so creatures - mostly fairies - venture earth side. While it was a time of celebration, many were terrified of this portal opening.

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So, traditionally, people wore scary costumes to confuse the spirits and avoid being terrorised. Bonfires were also built to guide souls to the afterlife and frighten away evil spirits.

In the first episode of a new four-part series by RTÉ called Na Féile Tine (The Fire Festivals), viewers will be brought through the history of Halloween and its deep traditions. Samhain kicks off the documentary series as the other three indigenous Irish festivals- Imbolg, Bealtaine and Lúnasa will be explored later this year.

Viewers will travel across the country to learn about traditions celebrated worldwide that began in places like Connemara and Derry. In the Celtic calendar, Samhain welcomes the start of winter and the new year.

As the leaves fall off the trees and nights get darker, this time of the year is seen as a time for new beginnings. But, before the new year started, those brave enough to venture outside on Halloween night had to wade off the spirits, while the scared stayed inside and played games that are still popular today.

Bobbing for apples has become a common Halloween game in Ireland, but it was brought to this country by American and European settlers. While the night is steeped in spirits and darkness, traditional Samhain games celebrate new beginnings.

One of these games asks players to pick one of five plates blindfolded. Objects such as rosary beads, a ring, water and money are placed on these plates and reveal the player's life path.

They will either become a priest, married, rich or travel overseas. The fifth plate, which holds black soil, is the darkest. It means the player will die.

As Nan Bean Uí Chofaigh talks viewers through the fortune-telling game, she says: “This is an old family tradition from Connemara and it’s still going strong today. These games go way back, we brought them with us from Connemara.

"And my forebears played the same games when they were small. They played these games on Samhain, but there were always talks of fairies.”

The fairies were most active on Halloween night, as they climbed out of their forts as the veil between the two worlds became thin. While there was "a darkness" to the fairies and people were afraid of them, they were known as “good people” once they were left alone.

The pucaí were the unfriendly spirits that people were afraid of as they caused trouble and mischief. Children were even warned off eating blackberries on this night, as it was said that pucaí spit on them.

Death was much more welcomed and celebrated in pagan tradition, folklorist Dr Jenny de Buitléar says. She added: “In our culture now, death is removed from us. It's handled by funeral homes. It's kind of taken away from us. I think for most people the idea of the dead returning is quite scary.

“But when we look at the traditions around Samhain, the door being left unlocked, a plate being left for the dead relative who is going to come back on that night... it’s a very welcoming thing.”

The first episode of Na Féilte Tine (The Fire Festivals) will air on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, on Monday October 28 at 6.30pm.

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