Culture
Sara Keating: Irish festivals make no bones about dark side of Samhain
In the birthplace of Halloween, our cultural calendar draws thrill-seeking lovers of the darker arts, as well as providing a festival of light
At the Museum of Country Life in Castlebar, Co Mayo, there is an extensive permanent exhibition dedicated to Life in the Community.
The exhibition explores key festivals in Irish culture through their traditional celebratory practices: St Brigid’s Day in February, when people wove crosses to seek the saint’s blessing; the summer solstice, when bonfires were lit to bless the harvest; and the festival of Samhain on November 1, which marked the first day of winter, ...