Celebrate Samhain with a Free Heritage in Schools Visit – Limited Places Available!
As the days grow shorter and the harvest season draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reconnect with Ireland’s rich calendar customs. Samhain, signalling the beginning of winter, invites reflection, storytelling, and the honouring of ancestral traditions.
The phrase ‘Ó Samhain go Bealtaine’ (from Halloween to May Day) appears in several Early Irish literary texts and traditionally marks the winter season. In these stories, this period is associated with visiting poets and the provision of hospitality, perhaps reflecting that the Irish winter was once seen as a particularly appropriate time for poetry and storytelling.
To celebrate this special season, primary schools were invited to bring this theme to life in the classroom through a free Heritage in Schools visit. These visits, taking place from 3 to 7 November, will offer students a unique opportunity to explore Irish folklore, seasonal customs, and the cultural significance of Samhain.
To date, nearly 200 free visits have been allocated—bringing the spirit of Samhain and Ireland’s storytelling tradition into classrooms across the country.