Galway Advertiser 1990/1990_10_25/GA_25101990_E1_011.pdf 

Extracted text

GHOULIES, GHOSTIES AND LEGGETY BEASTS
she would die within a year. Certain fortunetellbecame of Ob too. ing methods Halloween an important part jects like a coin, ring and thimble w e r e bak e d in a c a k e . T h e per son w h o found the coin would become who but the never would wealthy, the one found the ring marry he/she soon who got children. They in door costumes and go to door to give masks dress and from saying The avoid played the Irish legend, lanterns were after Jack a man who jack-o'named called not

could

"trick-or-treat." neighbours, having on them, tricks

enter heaven because he had played on the devil. Jack result, walk ment much is a tricks As had a to

thimble would

wed, people believed. D u c k i n g for probably most one apples is the of

child t r e a t s like fruit, sweets or money. Hollowed-out into o n e side, as are important in out pum cut known hallopkins with a face in a b o w l of w a t e r popular

the earth Day.

with

his lantern until J u d g H a l l o w e e n is still a celebrated wonderful, time when festival. October 31st magical

hallo-

w e e n p a r t y g a m e s . It w a s a l s o u s e d to tell fortunes. The bigger the ple caught by ap the be, apple up in is

Jack-O'-Lanterns decorations. England once beets, turnips on this Ireland

ween People and carved

children can dress up and scare people half to death. But be warned! If you see a white cat on halloween, you've had it! A n d d o n ' t o p e n t h e door The after caller midnight. could be

teeth, the fairer your fortune would an while those w h o failed

potatoes, and

Mention Halloween and people immediately begin to talk about witches, bats, ghosts and things that go bump in the night.
T h e Celtic of Samhain day Festival is pro Hallo lord the of death. of The the christians. During the 800 s, the Church established All Saints D a y o n N o v e m b e r 1st. The people m a d e old pagan p a r t of this the customs Christian b a b l y t h e s o u r c e of t h e present w e e n celebration. The Celts lived m o r e than 2,000 years ago in and Year Ireland, England Northern Their New celebration beginning of and season darkness It marked cold, decay. became with The that the to

HALLOWEEN CUSTOMS
Regional Halloween customs developed food that Olla, leader from be and be the busy a m o n g the Celts. The Irish b e g g e d for in a a a god. mask Crops gathered no fruit parade The made should by honoured Muck

to u s e a s lanterns halloween. After custom America,

to

catch

would poverty.

end

reached pumpkins to an

Trick-or-treating very popular

b e g a n to be used. According

with

from the other side.

naturally

wore a white robe and t h e h e a d of a n a n i m a l . Hallo

associated human Celts souls death. believed of the for eve the of

France.

Samhain allowed dead

w e e n , it w a s felt should

return to their earthly homes evening. On the the festival, Druids this

picked after that date. Why? Because mischievous puca was up to his tricks, spoiling fruit! It w a s a w i d e l y h e l d b e l i e f t h a t if a m a n o r w o m a n s t o o d in front of a m i r r o r a n d a t e a n a p p l e , t h e f a c e of t h e person he or she would marry would be r e f l e c t e d i n it. Future marriage apple over nuts unpicked

ordered people to put out their hearth fires. T h e y built a h u g e N e w Y e a r ' s b o n f i r e of o a k branches, which considered they sacred,

burned animals, crops and possibly even peo ple as sacrifices. Then each family relit fire. its the hearth fire from

New Year's

During the celebra tion p e o p l e s o m e t i m e s wore costumes from animal by and skins. They fortunes began 1st. A ^Festival the that began, previous honoured the Celtic^ on November made heads told examin

partners could also be determined by pairings thrown the shoulder or

b u r n e d in t h e fire. In W a l e s , e v e r y per

ing the r e m a i n s of t h e animals that had been sacrificed. M a n y of t h e after they Celts' c u s t o m s survived long became

evening Samhain.

holy day. The Church later began to honour the dead on November 2 . This day became known a s All Souls' Day..

son fire.

marked The

a

stone people

a n d p u t it i n t o a b o n b e l i e v e d if a person's he or

stone w a s missing the morning,