Halloween, says seanchaí Eddie Lenihan, is the night of the fairies, of the ghosts, of the dead. “These days – Halloween, All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2 – are for the souls who want to go to Heaven.”
Great was the darkness : Spooky stories from medieval Ireland rte.ie - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from rte.ie Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Ancient Irish myths and legends will get you in the Halloween and Samhain spirit. Samhain is the ancient Irish festival that became Halloween as we know it and its because of these Irish roots that we have plenty of Halloween-worthy Irish legends and myths.
The Legend of Aine’s Encounter with Ailill Aulom
One of the unpleasant legends speaks of a man who didn t want to learn the meaning of love, but was only driven by his sexual desires. This lout was the King of Munster called Ailill Aulom. According to the traditional story, he raped Aine, so she bit off his ear - which made people call him ‘One-eared Aulom.’
In Old Irish law, kings needed to have a perfect appearance and a complete body. Thus, Aulom lost his authority. This story shows that Aine was also a powerful goddess of sovereignty. As a deity, she granted power to good people, but also took it away from the bad ones.