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Ireland: 'No one does Halloween better than us'

WTM
Katherine Masters
20 October 2025

Ireland is bolstering its claim to be the authentic home of Halloween – with a broad range of culturally immersive festivals offering a deep dive into Celtic traditions

Derry Halloween
Derry Halloween © Tourism Ireland

The finale of Derry Halloween is a colourful parade and fireworks display © Tourism Ireland

From the origins of Jack O’Lanterns to the first trick or treaters, Halloween is tied to Ireland’s folklore and the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. This heralded the coming of winter, a time when light turned to darkness and the veil between this world and the next was thinnest, allowing ghosts, fairies and demons to pass through and menace the living.

AT WTM London, Tourism Ireland (stand N8-210) will be introducing eight Halloween hubs around the country – where visitors can have a frightfully good time at spooky trails, haunted experiences and hair-raising events.