HALLOWEENS IRISH ROOTS

You can thank the Irish for the upcoming night of ghoulish fun... Halloweens roots are in the Celtic New Year festival of Samhain (sow-in), which marked the end of the harvest and the lighter half of the year. At this time between years, the Celts believed the boundary between this world and the other world, home of the aos s (spirits), was permeable. Not only would aos s come out to play tricks on people, but also the sdhe (burial mounds) opened allowing souls of the dead to come back to our world to find new bodies and the spirits. The Celts wore costumes or disguises to trick the spirits into thinking they were a spirit too, so theyd be left alone. Large bonfires were burned through the night (which is still an active tradition in Ireland) to provide protection and guide the good spirits on their way.
pantherfile.uwm.edu/barnold/www/lectures/holloween.html

Dark Stories @ The National Horrorthon Film Daylight Savings Leprechaun Museum Festival @ The IFI Not So Spooky
Take a journey, if you dare, to the dark otherworld of Ireland through time and space, light and dark, superstition and frightening reality. Through the stories that inspired a worldwide obsession with Halloween frights.
Performances on 30 and 31 October include post-show sessions with paranormal experts, and nerve-settling refreshments will be provided on all 10 dates.
So scary its strictly Over 18s
leprechaunmuseum.ticketsolve.com/shows/126 519807/events

October 27 31
Irish Film Institutes annual celebration of shock cinema from across the globe a Halloween weekender with bite. This years Horrorthon line-up offers a veritable smorgasbord of demented delights.

Take Note: This Sunday our clocks switch to Winter Time or what I like to call The Day is Desperately Short Time. On Sunday morning at 2:00am the clocks will roll back to 1:00am. Though this means you get a sneaky extra hour to lie in bed on Sunday morning, it also means that dusk will fall earlier than ever... Sunset on the 29th is at 18:00, and on the 30th it is 16:58. Be prepared to bust out your SAD lamps in the coming weeks.

Tickets for individual films may be purchased or you can invest in a day or weekend pass for access to all films.
www.ifi.ie/horrorthon2011/index.htm

Glasnevin Cemetery Tours

Until to Monday 31st October at 11.00 & 17.00 This very special tour of Glasnevin Cemetery, led by Glasnevin Gravedigger Jim (otherwise

Life Tip: Halloween Safety

For those of you not using this long weekend to travel, you have the luck of experiencing Halloween in Dublin. Its a wicked night in town with many pubs hosting fancy dress (costume) parties that spill into the streets. With a large influx of visitors for the Bank Holiday, please be extra vigilant when it comes to your personal safety

Remember to: Stay with your group, do not leave any drinks unattended, avoid unruly crowds and refrain from dangerous behavior. We hope you have a terrifyingly good (and safe) time this weekend!

Halloween Dublin Flea Market

www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=280361865327810

known as The Ace of Spades) is

filled with local legends and stories of Glasnevin past.

www.glasnevinmuseum.ie/news/samhain-festival-glasnevin-museum

Jack OLantern
You might not recognize the original Jack O Lanterns In Ireland the tradition is to carve turnips and put candles in them! When Irish immigrants arrived in the United States they found pumpkins were more readily available and easier to carve. The practice is linked to folktale of Hard Jack, or Stingy Jack a mean spirited man who managed to trick and beat the devil. When he died, neither Heaven nor Hell would take him. He begged the Devil for something to keep him warm, to which the devil tossed him a burning ember. To hot to carry it in his hands, Jack carved out a turnip to carry it in and light his way. Henceforth the ghostly visage of "Jack of the Lantern" wandered, trying to find someplace to call home.