In Irish traditions, Halloween, or Samhain, the ancient Celtic pagan festival celebrated between October 31 and November 1, marked the end of the harvest season and symbolically the end of the year. That’s why Samhain is known as the Celtic New Year: a moment of great celebration historically involving bonfires, freshly harvested farm produce, music, gatherings and stories. To retrace this exciting and fascinating journey through deep Irish traditions, Irish Tourism has promoted a podcast dedicated to Halloween.

Through the words of journalist Riccardo Michelucci, a great lover of Ireland and radio voice who has traveled the length and breadth of Irish territory, the podcast tells how this tradition was born, how it is still celebrated in Ireland today, and why. It has now become an event celebrated all over the world.

The entire ‘Stories of Ireland’ series can be heard on the Spotify platform and on all major platforms. Eight episodes accompany the listener in the discovery, emotion and knowledge of the places, characters, traditions and many curiosities of this land full of charm and culture.

“Halloween, as everyone should know by now, is Irish, not American: it’s a very ancient Celtic festival that celebrated the Celtic New Year, so it’s like going back to basics on Halloween night. Many festivals celebrated these days include shows for adults and children, parades, mystical effects, and living castles to recreate the spirit of Halloween. and so on, Ireland is definitely a destination worth visiting at this time of year, even when it’s a bit magical”, comments Marcella Ercolini, Director of Irish Tourism in Italy.

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Among the major events taking place in Ireland these days, Derry-Londonderry in Northern Ireland celebrates Europe’s largest Halloween festival; Fans of ‘Dracula’ will be delighted to invade Dublin on October 31, in addition to events related to the night, for the Bram Stoker Festival (October 28-31), which pays special tribute to the famous publication’s 125th anniversary. the novel. The Pucca Festival (28-31 October), traditional in the ancient east of Ireland, is in the Boyne Valley, an important site of Celtic history and culture.

Further south, everything is ready in Kinsale – a great center of Irish gastronomy, famous for its fish restaurants, a lively harbor and a small and colorful historic center – for the Halloween parade 2022, the award ceremony for the masks is complete.