The Irish people have been celebrating Halloween since 1000AD, although back then it was called “Samhain” or “end of summer.” The pagans believed that on the eve of Halloween, beings from the spiritual world came to visit mortals. So traditions from that lineage have stuck and are still done around the world. Jack-o-lanterns are rumored to be an ancient Celtic tradition wherein people would carry an ember inside a hollowed turnip to light their way home. Dressing up as scary characters is also an Irish tradition. Since the spirits came to capture mortals, the mortals would dress up in elaborate skins with animal heads. They hoped this would scare away the spirits. Spooky or fun, many Halloween traditions come from Mother Ireland.
Top ten Irish traditions for Halloween (PHOTOS) – IrishCentral.com.
