Folklore, feasting and festivities have been under way in Derry as up to 100,000 people took part in a three-day Halloween festival this weekend which will climax later this evening with fireworks over the river Foyle.
The popular event, which is in its 35th year, was cancelled in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions. While the fireworks finale is back on the schedule, the Halloween Night Parade has been cancelled.
This year, Derry Halloween is unfolding across five different worlds, each representing a different spirit of samhain. Three of the worlds are located in the city itself, one in Donegal and one in Strabane. The myths and mischief of samhain are interwoven throughout.
A series of spirit worlds are in place locations across the city. These include a Forest of Shadows zone in St Columb’s Park featuring the Phantom Queen Morrigan who is a fierce and beautiful goddess welcoming all to her court with dancing flames of fire.
A City of Bones animated aerial installation is filling the city-centre night sky alongside a backdrop of the chilling laments of banshees lurking at each of the city gates.
Special events are also ongoing in Swan Park in Buncrana, Co Donegal, and the ancient site of Grianan of Aileach, a spectacular stone-built ring fort which was once the seat of the High Kings O’Neill.
Derry and Strabane City Council tourism chief Aideen McCarter says it is “absolutely brilliant” that the festival is back in person this year.
“This is the biggest event in the city’s year, it is the biggest Halloween event on these islands, it’s the biggest Halloween event in Europe. Derry is back. Nowhere does Halloween better.”
Mayor of Derry & Strabane Alderman Graham Warke says he has loved being “out and about enjoying the Derry Halloween festivities. I am really excited for the final awakening of the walled city event and the fireworks finale on the Foyle.”
Festival amid a pandemic
Meanwhile, the festival and events team have worked closely with Tourism Northern Ireland, Tourism Ireland, Northern Ireland Tourism Alliance and other industry bodies in developing a safe plan for this year’s event given the challenges of running the occasion in a pandemic.
The city walls have been closed this year as a precautionary measure given the narrowness of their paths. Instead the activity has been moved to locations in the city centre, Ebrington Square and St Columb’s Park.
Halloween is Ireland’s most ancient festival, originating in the Irish and Celtic tradition of samhain, which is the old Irish for summer’s end. Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the start of the new year.
It was the last great gathering before winter, a celebration of the Celtic new year which involved lighting fires, feasting on the crops of the harvest, music, gathering and storytelling.