(Courtesy Stephen Davis, University College Dublin) “As the Celtic New Year began with Samhain, there is a correlation between the year starting with winter, with the sun near its lowest point ...

In this tradition, 1 November marked the start of the new year so Samhain was New Year’s Eve. During Samhain, it was believed that the barrier between our world and the world of spirits ...

Pronounced ‘sow-en’, Samhain is a Gaelic holiday beckoning the ‘darker half’ of the year. It takes place on the evening of 31 October through to 1 November as the Celtic day begins and ...

Halloween, one of the world’s oldest holidays, is celebrated in several countries around the globe. The autumn rite is commemorated in Ireland, which was once a frightening and superstitious ...

It’s tied to Celtic festival Samhain, a celebration marking the end of summer and beginning of the new year on Nov. 1, ...