Tourism Ireland brought the spirit of Halloween’s origins to life with an adventurous group of industry professionals this week at Toronto’s Casa Loma’s ‘Legends of Horror.’ The gathering paid tribute to the 2,000-year-old Celtic festival of Samhain – the inspiration for modern-day Halloween – and a nod to the 30,000-plus (yes, you read that right!) castles and castle ruins across Ireland, which range from ancient strongholds and visitor attractions to luxury accommodations.

“Halloween is rooted in ancient Celtic tradition,” said Sandra Moffatt, Country Manager for Tourism Ireland. “Many of us celebrate the holiday without thinking of its origin story – when centuries ago the ancient Celts celebrated ‘Samhain’ (sow-in), a harvest festival to mark the start of winter. This was a time when the veil between this world and the next was at its thinnest, and spirits and fairies walked the earth.

Moffatt observed that Casa Loma, one of Canada’s only castles, was the perfect backdrop to explore Halloween’s spooky origins, but added, “There is truly no better place to celebrate the holiday than in Ireland, the place where it all began.”

The event gave the group of travel partners and content creators an opportunity to experience Irish hospitality – even on dark and eerie nights, much like the ancient Samhain tradition.

Many of today’s Halloween traditions evolved from these Irish customs:

• Bonfires were lit to ward off spirits.
• Masks and disguises were worn to confuse wandering souls – an early form of Halloween costumes.
• Soul cakes were offered to children and the poor, becoming today’s trick-or-treating.
• Jack O’Lanterns were originally carved from turnips, with glowing embers inside to protect homes.
• Barmbrack, a fruit loaf with hidden objects, was baked to predict the future – a tradition still popular in Ireland today.

These customs spread to North America with Irish emigrants and evolved into the modern Halloween festivities celebrated worldwide. But Ireland remains the spiritual home of Halloween, where visitors can still experience Samhain-inspired festivals and events, such as the Puca Festival, Derry Halloween, and the Experience Bram Stoker Festival.

Tourism Ireland says its content toolkit is available to help travel advisors plan and promote Halloween-themed itineraries in Ireland for 2025, giving clients a unique, immersive experience that brings the magic and mystery of Halloween back to its roots.

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