SAMHAIN

As you might know, today is SAMHAIN (spoken saoin) - or let's say Halloween for those who do not speak Gaelic!

In Germany we do not really celebrate Samhain, as it has no tradition here, even though you can now also see pumpkins everywhere and people start decorating everything like in America. I find that a bit rediculous, as it has nothing to do with the original and is now only a huge "merchandising thing".

Two years ago I had to honor to celebrate the real "Samhain" at Lough Gur - one of the largest stone circles in Ireland. But first of all, let me tell you a bit about the Irish tradition:

The Celtic tradition is often closely related to the Celts’ religion and their belief in the Otherworld (Tir na n-Óg = Land of Youth). The Otherworld is home to the divine Tuatha Dé Danann ; they ruled what could be called “invisible” regions below the ground and islands beyond the sea. Life in the Otherworld was joyful and most pleasant; it was a world of peace and harmony. They spent most of their time with hunting and feasting, for food and drink never got short there. The Otherworld is also called the Land of the Living (Tír inna mBeo), for sickness and decay are unknown. Sometimes it is referred to as Tír inna mBan (Land of Women), because women were numerous and very beautiful there.
The fairy-woman Niamh described the Otherworld like this:

“It is the most delightful land of all that are under the sun; […] Honey and wine are plentiful there; no wasting will come upon you with the wasting away of time; you will never see death or lessening. You will get feasts, playing and drinking; you will get sweet music on the strings; you will get silver and gold and many jewels […]”

It is said that there were invisible barriers to keep the mortals out of the Otherworld, but stories tell of heroes that entered it by accident or were led there by fairy creatures. It could be reached through a cave, through a lake or e.g. through magical mist. The Tuatha De Dannan, however, could move freely between the two worlds and on the feast of Samhain (31st of October); the boundaries vanished altogether and the sídhs (entrances to the Otherworld) lay open.

Samhain was the greatest of all feasts during the year and was situated exactly half way between Autumn Equinox (21st of September) and Winter Solstice (21st of December). This was a very dangerous time for mortals and they preferred to stay at home, for when the spirits left the Otherworld they often caused chaos through their magic and played tricks on the mortals. Therefore this feast was also called Oíche na Sprideanna (the Tuatha Dé Dannan wander about on this night) or Oíche na haimléise (night of chaos).

Among other things, the Tuatha Dé Dannan were responsible for the growth of the crops; on this night they collected their dues for an extensive harvest. If they were treated in a friendly manner, they would be happy and make sure the people would get a good harvest next year. If they were treated badly, the Tuatha Dé Dannan would curse the land and the crops would fail.

It is obvious how important the Otherworld was for the mortals. Excavations show that the Celts believed in some kind of life after death and that the souls of the dead could still control their bodies in the hither world. Domestic artefacts of all kinds have been found in several graves. The Otherworld therefore was not just the place for the Tuatha Dé Dannan, but also for the dead. Not only humans and gods, but pigs, dogs and swans, to name only a few, were associated with the Otherworld. At supernatural feasts the two worlds would come together.

Sounds familiar? Well, now you know why children (even here in Bamberg) knock on your door and want sweets!


So on Samhain we went to Lough Gur with our Irish Heritage Lecturer Dr. Seán Ó Duinn, an Irish monk. We built a fire and then he told us about the Celtic traditions. We had to walk round the fire three times - anti-clockwise for course - and he spoke an "enchantment" to sooth the Tuatha dé Dannan and thank them for the last year and ask for their protection for the following year.

It was great fun, I can tell you! And it was also a bit spooky, as it was foggy and it all had a kind of mystic aura!

No matter what you are doing today, remember this: