Samhain is the first of four cross-quarter celebrations which occur at exact mid-points between the equinoxes and the solstices, marking the arrival of Winter (Samhain), Spring (Imbolc), Summer (Bealtaine) and Autumn (Lughnasa) respectively.
All these traditional festivals have corresponding Christian celebrations. In early November, at the time of Samhain, All Soul’s Day is also celebrated. This is a time for remembering ancestors, when people light candles for those who have gone before. It is a time to reflect upon shared mortality and to meditate on the inevitable corruption of flesh and bone.
Likewise, Imbolc, meaning ‘In the Belly’ (an inference to the impregnation of the ewe), celebrates the arrival of Spring and also marks the Christian celebration of Brigit, one of Ireland’s patron saints. Bealtaine, which celebrates the arrival of Summer is the beginning of the month that celebrates the Holy Mother and at the time of Lughnasa, the Transfiguration of Christ is celebrated by Christians across Ireland.
Ireland has a long-held history of celebrating the turn of the seasons alongside its venerated saints. Samhain offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gaping divides between communities and to embrace things in common. It is an opportunity to celebrate the arrival of Winter together, to reflect upon shared mortality, to pay homage and offer prayers to the ancestors who gave Life.
The theme of this year’s Samhain Festival, which will take place on the first weekend of November in Clonakilty town, is ‘Slí na Fírinne’. Directly translated, this means ‘Way of Truth’.
In old Irish, instead of saying ‘Fuair sé bás’ (‘He died’), people would instead say; ’Tá sé imithe ar Slí na Fírinne’ which means ‘He is gone on the Way of Truth’. There was a shared sense back then, of a world beyond this mortal realm. Samhain is a time of year of reaching into this other world with prayers and reflecting upon preparations for this ultimate Truth.
As always, the Samhain Festival will culminate with the Púca Parade that will march through Clonakilty town at sunset on Sunday, November 3. Due to the competitive nature of current funding streams, the Samhain festival has been unsuccessful in its applications for support this year.
This is Samhain Festival’s eight year of production. The Festival committee is determined to continue this work, so has started a campaign to hopefully gather enough funds to cover the production costs for 2024, and is looking to the community for support.
For more information on Samhain Festival visit www.samhainfestival.ie
If you would like to donate: go fund me link
