Samhain shona or happy Halloween!
That was an Irish Jack-o-Lantern made from a turnip. Creepy eh? 🙂 Well, last night in the cottage we celebrated Halloween in the old style and I thought you might like to hear how we do it over here in Ireland. Firstly, and this might come as a surprise, the celebration of Halloween, or Samhain (pronounced sou-ann) is actually an Irish festival. So while our American cousins certainly took that ball enthusiastically and ran with it, it did, in fact, originate here in Ireland. When the Christians first came here in the fifth century they discovered a complex and highly evolved pagan system. Being the pragmatists they were, they decided not to abolish the old pagan festivals, instead renaming them to suit Christian purposes. One the Christians failed to appropriate however, was Samhain, what has become now, Halloween. The early Irish believed that on one night, the veil between the living and the dead was lifted and moving between worlds, by accident or design, was possible. So people would stay in their houses, fearful of going out in case they would be taken to the otherworld, never to return. They would play games like snap apple, or dunking for apples in a basin of water, there was a special fruit cake called a barmbrack, and in it one could find a ring, a pea, a stick, a coin, all of which symbolised aspects of the finder’s future. They would carve a Jack o Lantern from a turnip, to remember a character called Stingy Jack who made several ill-fated deals with the devil and when he died neither God nor the Devil would accept him so he was destined to roam for all eternity between both worlds with just a candle in a turnip to light his way. So last night we got dressed up, decorated the house and did all the traditional games with the kids, since trick or treating was off the cards due to lockdown, and had a lot of fun. Here’s a picture of my efforts to be spooky!Â
Lovely eh? 🙂 We did however get takeout pizza too so while I don’t think that was part of the old tradition it was delicious! The kids have been off school this week for mid term break but return to school tomorrow, our government are determined to keep schools open if at all possible. So it’s back to work for Mammy! I do have a favour though – if anyone speaks German? My books The Tour and Safe at the Edge of the World have been translated to German and are looking very cold and lonely over a the Amazon Germany page all on their own, and could use a review or twenty in German if you or someone you know has such linguistic skills! You don’t need to buy it, just leave a short review. Here are the links Review Safe at the Edge of the World Here (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B08M3XWS3L) Review The Tour here (https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Jean-Grainger-ebook/dp/B088NR5KLN)  I would appreciate it so much. Danke schoen!! I’m really enjoying writing at the moment and I hope the new series I have planned will hit the spot. It’s always so hard to know but I can only write what is in my head or heart at any given time and hope for the best. Your unfailing support, messages and emails, make this a much less scary prospect. Le grá agus buiochas, Jean x