Halloween dates back at least two thousand years to the Celtic festival of Samhain marking the start of winter, a cold, dark and dangerous time. It began at sunset on October 31st and ended at sunset on November 1st. It was believed that the souls of the dead came back at this time and it was common to visit each other’s homes and be offered food in exchange for prayers for the dead. It was also a festival of fire.Tradition has it that across Ireland fires were extinguished. A huge bonfire was lit on Tlachtga and people had to come and light their fires from this central fire. Tlachtga was the name of a druid priestess who gave her name to a hill near Tara, the royal site associated with the ancient High Kings of Ireland. This summer Irish archeologists discover evidence of intense burning at Tlachtga dating back to…
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