Destination Ireland Guide

  This mid-term break, why not swap pumpkin patches and cinema trips for a stay in a 400-year-old real-life haunted castle? Ballygally Castle, perched dramatically on the Antrim Coast and long-regarded as one of Ireland’s most haunted buildings, is offering a Halloween experience with a difference. Step inside its historic walls on Sunday 26th October for the Trick-or-Treat Castle Retreat, an overnight...

  Feature Image; 2023 Samhain Festival, Longford Rooted in Ireland’s rich tapestry of folklore, mythology and oral storytelling, Irish horror is having a moment, with eerie tales and spine-chilling films captivating audiences across the globe. As the Home of Halloween, Ireland’s tradition of Samhain – the festival to celebrate the autumn. In a land steeped in tales of banshees, fairy forts, puca's,...

  1. Halloween began over 2,000 years ago in Ireland  It may be celebrated all over the world, but Ireland is the true home of Halloween. Over 2,000 years ago the ancient Celts gathered each autumn for the festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-in), one of the four great Celtic fire festivals, to mark the end of the harvest season. It was believed to...

    Ireland’s tales of the undead and Dublin’s Gothic architecture inspired the creation of the world’s most famous vampire.   There is one place in the world where Halloween isn’t just celebrated, it’s part of the heritage. Welcome to Ireland, the true home of Halloween, where ancient Celtic traditions and gothic legends collide in a celebration unlike anywhere else on Earth. Long before...

Myths, mischief and mighty celebrations all converge for one of the biggest festivals of the year in Ireland. But do you know where it all started?   When you think about Halloween, you probably think of carved pumpkins, ghoulish costumes and blazing bonfires, with mysterious scenes unfolding in the dimming light. But did you know that many of those traditions actually...