Halloween & Its Creepy Irish Origins
Modern Halloween was, arguably, exported to all over the world from America. However, not many realise that it was first brought to America’s shores hundreds of years ago by Irish immigrants. This walk is a great opportunity to examine and even experience some of the macabre Irish folklore, stretching back thousands of years, that fed into most, if not all, of the Halloween traditions.
Top Highlights
- Discover the renowned sites and hidden corners of Dublin with our professional guides.
- Learn about the old Celtic Festival of Samhain which has given us Halloween.
- Dublin’s 2,000 and more years of horrible histories.
- Find out the Haloween influences of Irish Gothic writers.
- Receive discounts at a number of Dublin’s most iconic museums and cafes/restaurants
- We only take small groups
Places we'll see or pass by
- Dame Street
- Dublin Castle
- Old City Walls
- Castle Forty Steps
- St Patrick’s Park
- Marsh’s Library
- St Patrick’s Cathedral
- John’s Lane
- Christ Church Cathedral
Take a Closer Look
Want a chilling experience? Well, it’s not that chilling as we want you to enjoy it and not be terrified. But we do enter the supernatural and you will hear of pacts with the devil and the truth (?) behind many of the Halloween customs that we all enjoy today. Halloween was a Christian superimposition on the ancient Irish pagan feast of Samhain, which was held at the end of October every year. The Celtic people had great reverence for their ancestors but also feared them, and on this day the portal between this world and the next opened, and good and (mostly) evil spirits roamed the land and people came up with various tactics to protect themselves from wandering malevolent creatures. These customs have come down to us today in more acceptable forms, of course, as Haloween customs. Many famous Irish writers created their own spectral figures based on our traditions, and have given us creepy tales such as The Portrait of Dorian Grey, Melmoth the Wanderer, Carmilla and, not forgetting, Dracula. We’ll dip into all of this and try to avoid getting splashed in blood!
Tour Details
Meeting Point
The Tree of Gold, Central Plaza, Dame Street
COST
Adult €25
Seniors/Students €20
Children €15 (12 to 18 years old accompanied by an adult)
Children under 12 years old free of change with accompanying adult.
DATE & TIME
31st October, 2024
Time: 2:30pm
Please arrive 10 minutes before the tour starts.
Important
Please arrive 10 minutes before the tour starts. If you miss the starting time, we won’t be able to join you with the tour. However, we may be able to offer you a tour at a different time or on a different day (subject to availability). It is advisable to book in advance as we can only take ‘walk-ups- subject to maximum numbers
