from samhain to witches: a history of halloween in ireland

Delve into the history of Halloween in Ireland in this fascinating talk with Dr Andrew Sneddon at Ulster Folk Museum

A black and white image of backs of heads and a lady giving a lecture
Date
Thursday 29th October
Time
14:00 to 15:00
Age group
16+
Price
£18

Join us for a fascinating talk exploring the history of Halloween in Ireland with Dr Andrew Sneddon. 

This talk delves into the history of Halloween in Ireland, tracing its evolution from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which marked the beginning of winter, to the global celebration we know today. 

Dr Andrew Sneddon will uncover how medieval Christian observances such as All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day became intertwined with older traditions, and how Halloween emerged in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as a night of feasting, games, fortune-telling, masquerading, pranks, lantern carving, and remembrance of the dead. 

It follows Halloween's journey across the sea with Irish emigrants, showing how it became a popular national festival in Britain and North America before returning to Ireland in new forms. Along the way, discover how pumpkins replaced turnips, costumes became ever more elaborate, and trick-or-treating became a central feature of the season. 

From ancient beliefs to modern commercialism, and from folklore to contemporary neo-pagan revivals of Samhain, this talk reveals how Ireland became entranced with Halloween.

Dr Andrew Sneddon is Senior Lecturer in History at Ulster University and a leading expert on the history of witchcraft and magic in Ireland from the medieval to modern periods. 

He is the author of seven books, including Witchcraft and Magic in Ireland (2015), Representing Magic in Modern Ireland (2022), Possessed by the Devil: A History of the Islandmagee Witch Trials, 1711 (2nd ed., 2024), A Cultural History of Magic in the Enlightenment (2025), and Magic and Disability in the Early Modern World (2026). 

His internationally recognised research, funded by the Wellcome Trust, AHRC, and Leverhulme Trust, has been presented worldwide and adapted into graphic novels, virtual reality experiences, video games, television and radio productions. 

Dr Sneddon is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, former President of the Ulster Society for Irish Historical Studies, and current editor of Irish Historical Studies, Ireland’s leading academic history journal.

Book Talk Tickets

Your ticket includes access to this talk and the Halloween activity at Ulster Folk Museum on Thursday 29th October any time between 10:00 and 16:00.

What to know

Everything you need to know about this talk

This talk takes place from 14:00 to 15:00 on Thursday 29th October in our authentic Picture House.

Your ticket includes access to the Ulster Folk Museum and our Halloween celebrations talking place on the same day. Booking for this talk is essential.

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