This 'Oiche na Sprideanna' or Night of the spirits marked the end of summer.
During 700 AD, the Catholic Church set the first day of November as All Saints Day - all Hallows (all that are blessed or hallowed). Thus 'all hallows eve' the day before - became Hallowe'en.
It was an occasion of family reunion and celebration when families moved there grazing stock from summer grass back to the homestead.
Whole families left the villages in the Spring after the crops were sown and moved to the summer pasture area.
Small homes were built with turf or sods, or of wicker work, and roofed with branches or heather.
A chair or two, the cast iron pot, a creel and a few household items would have been strapped to the donkey's back.
The little churn was slung on one side of the animal, into which the youngest child was often thrust, its head being the only part visible.
During the reunions during 'All Hallows',
Bonfires or Fires of Bones ( it's said the bones of dead animals were burnt and the ash scattered on the land) were lit to mark the end of the growing period and to herald the new year (Celtic Calendar).
The Hallowe'en fire was used long ago to supply light and to rekindle the domestic fire.
The crops would have been harvested and the turf saved by then.
Hallowe'en was the night when the woman of the house opened her cupboards and spread a little feast for the family.
Even the poorest household prepared something special for that night.
Hazelnuts, apples and other fruits of the Autumn had an important place in the combined pastimes of feasting and foretelling the future.
Cabbages figure in many old games and one of these, or a turnip, were often tossed against a neighbours door on Hallowe'en night to give them a fright.
Many games were played upon the theme of identifying a future husband - matchmaking and marriage being among the functions of the festivals.
In one game, four plates were set upon a table.
Water was poured into one, a ring placed in another, some clay in the third and some straw, salt or oats in the last.
Someone would then be led to the table blindfolded and on to whichever plate they placed a hand, so their future would turn out.
The water signified migration, the ring marriage, the clay death and the fourth prosperity.
On rearranging of the plates others would be blindfolded and led up to take their turn.
In another game, a perfect Ivy leaf was placed in a container of cold water. On the following morning if the Ivy leaf had no blemishes that person would have twelve months of good health. If not...we can only guess?
Colcannon would have been one of the special foods served - consisting of mashed boiled potatoes mixed with cooked green cabbage and chopped raw onion seasoned with salt and pepper and maybe a poached egg atop.
The tradition of Colcannon being served on all Hallows eve came about from the Catholic Church of the time, suggesting that Catholics refrain from meat the day before 'All Hollows' as a type of penetence.
Barmbrack, a cake only really known in Celtic countries was a fruit loaf often containing a coin or a ring, those fortunate enough to get the slice with the coin or ring would have good fortune or marry soon.
He was doomed to roam the Earth forever.
So, today, we have the tradition of the turnip lantern.
In the USA where the turnip was not so widespread, a pumpkin was used.
Celtic Druids dressed up to disguise themselves from the ghosts or
devils roaming the land on Hallowe'en night so as to avoid being carried away.
Hence the tradition of dressing up at Hallowe'en.
However great the fright, nobody would really be surprised to meet with the Puca, the Black Pig, or meet up with that headless ghost, the Dullahan... or to wake in the dark of night and find the returned dead of the family seated around the kitchen hearth.
It was also the custom to make a special cross called a 'Parshell' two small sticks were laid crosswise and shafts of wheat were woven around the junction until the cross was secured.
It was then hung over the door on the inside of the house to help protect the family from illness, bad luck and witchcraft until the next Halloween when a new cross would be made.
The old cross would then be moved to another part of the house.
'Everyone has debts at Halloween' is an old Irish proverb and this was a time when people attempted to settle up.
Workers were paid, as was the rent, and farm folk secured crops and livestock for the hard winter to come.
While the adults were completing these chores, children visited relatives and friends and were given gifts of apples and nuts.
While many of the old traditions have died out, two have survived, especially in Dublin, include the lighting of bonfires and the custom of children dressed up in costume going from house to house shouting in unison: “Help the Hallowe’en Party! Any apples or nuts?”
Just a couple of generations ago, it would have been a group of young and grown boys who would blow horns and travel great distances in order to gather enough gifts for a night of feasting, music, dancing and fun.
I find the Irish Celts fascinating, and I like the concepts of their Brehon law, and the fact that women had pretty much the same rights as men. Modern society could learn a lot from it.
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