Ireland Is the Birthplace of Halloween: Here’s Why It Makes for an Incredible Fall Getaway

Halloween, on October 31, is a time for fun and a maybe few ghostly scares. It’s a mischievous time of year when you might run into ghouls, witches, or costumed characters on the street, see a home covered in spider webs, be asked to give a treat to a stranger, or have a trick played on you. But did you know that all of this tradition dates back to ancient times in Ireland?

On the island of Ireland, November 1 was the time of the traditional pagan harvest festival, Samhain, with feasts taking place on that day and the evening before to celebrate the end of autumn and the start of winter. This time of year was also said to be the time when the veil between this world and the other world was the thinnest, with All Souls Day taking place on November 2, so spirits could pass through from the other world around this time.

Because of this, people dressed up in costumes to disguise their identity from the spirits when they were collecting for the harvest festival. As they went from door to door collecting offerings and treats for the festival, they would also carry lanterns made from carved turnips to light the way and to ward off evil spirits — the tradition of carving pumpkins at Halloween is said to have originated from this.

Nowadays, the last weekend in October is a three-day holiday weekend in Ireland, and special Halloween-themed festivities take place all around the country. Fall is also generally one of our favorite seasons in Ireland.

Keep reading to see why fall is one of the best times to visit Ireland:

Comfortable Temperatures

Autumn or fall is a great time to visit the Emerald Isle. Although the weather is a little cooler than in summer, average fall temperatures range from daytime lows/highs of 50°F to 62°F in September and 40°F to 50°F in November, with between 12 hours (September) and 8 hours (November) of daylight for exploring outdoors. There are often many bright, sunny days when the hills and forests display their autumn colors, and since the official tourist season runs until the end of October, most attractions will be open.