DiscoveryClub

October is here! What does this mean? Halloween of course! Here in North America when we think of Halloween we tend to think of trick-or-treating, ghosts and goblins and haunted houses! But did you know that Halloween originated in Ireland? Linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, historically kept by the Gaels and Celts in the British Isles, the word “Halloween” derived from Old Irish means “summer’s end.” Halloween was first celebrated as an end of summer event where the Celtic people believed that on this eve the souls of those who had died during the past hear would return in search of living bodies to possess. Of course none of the living wanted to be possessed by these spirits so they would put out all the lights in their homes and dress up in ghoulish costumes and reek havoc in their neighborhood to scare the spirits away. It wasn’t until the 1840s when immigrants fled Ireland due to the potato famine that Halloween came to North America.

While Ireland is known for their history of Halloween, there is so much more to experience there. October happens to be a busy month to visit Ireland, as there are countless festivals, fairs, shows and markets.

According to discoverireland.ie, September and October is “Dublin Festival Season.” Below are some ideas to spark your interest!

•    New Festival on the Block
“Dublin is about to be taken over- but in a good way. For almost two months the city will tingle with the creative sparks of over 90 international artists from Ireland and five continents”.

•    Dublin Loves Drama
“To coin a phrase, Dublin is about to become a stage. Rolling into town with a thespian pep in its step is the Ulster Bank Dublin Theatre Festival taking over the city with dramatic intent.”

•    Sweet Sounds
“100 bands, 3 days, 6 venues. The bands: all shiny and new, which means that with the right cherry-picking you might just catch the next Bell X1 or U2. Either way you’ll enjoy a music festival without the mud”.

•    Beautiful Beer
“Bratwurst sizzling on a charcoal barbecue, weissbier hissing into cavernous krugs and strains of happy Bavarian mountain song lilting on the Autumn breeze – you must be in Munich, right? Nope not this time. This time, Munich and the sweet Bavarian nectar that is weissbier have come to Dublin and made themselves quite at home on the uber-scenic docklands.”

•    The City Opens Up
“Open house Dublin opens eyes and doors to the stunning and usually off-limits buildings in the city. We’re talking maintained tenements, regal residences and ecologically friendly triumphs. This year’s theme, ‘The Architecture of Change’ explores the idea that buildings around us have the potential to make us happier and the world a better place.”