Headland Archaeology Uncover "The Lost Halloween" With the Celtic Origins of Halloween

29 October 2010

Colm Moloney, Managing Director of Headland Archaeology (Ireland) Ltd is on a mission not only to protect the Irish cultural heritage in a physical sense but to protect Irish customs in general such as our knowledge of Oiche Samhain, or Halloween.

Recently Colm completed an MA degree in Archaeology and Heritage Analysis Interpretation and Management at Leicester University which has reawakened his passion for archaeology.  Although his company is keenly involved in infrastructural development work and is expanding into the renewable energy sector both in Ireland and Europe, he and the team of archaeologists are keen to share their knowledge of archaeology on a broader scale.The team of archaeologists recently held an open day at their headquarters in Little Island, Cork, where children from the surrounding area were shown items from the past from skeletons to spears. Now their mission is to explain the relevance of Halloween which originated in pre Christian times.

Colm says "Our knowledge of the past is something we have a responsibility to share with future generations so that they have a clear understanding of their own heritage. For example over the last number of years Halloween in Ireland has adapted some customs traditionally more associated with American Culture. The "trick or treat" aspect of Halloween that involves children in costumes going from house to house asking for "treats" is a relatively new phenomenon here. Our aim at Headland Archaeology is to make sure that although these customs are fun, that children do not forget where the origin of Halloween came from and how Irish people celebrated Halloween in the past"Samhain means "summer's End" and is celebrated on the 31st of October. The custom dates back to Pre Christian times.

:See Colm's full piece on The Celtic Origins of Halloween below or on their blog http://headlandarchaeology.wordpress.com/