On midsummer eve, when the bonfires are lighted on every hill in honor of St John, the fairies are at their gayest and sometimes steal away beautiful mortals to be their brides.

But on November Eve, sown or Halloween, the fairies are at their gloomiest.

For, according to the old Gaelic reckoning, this is the first night of winter.

The night the fairies of the other world dance with the ghosts.

The puka is abroad and witches make their spells.

It's a dark night and there's a chill in the air.

The breeze moves through the dank woodland in the old west of Ireland. Through the trees there is an opening.

Figures gathered around two huge bonfires. They're celebrating the end of harvest time. This was a grueling few weeks of collecting

all of the produce they've grown throughout the year.

They're marking the end of the lighter months,

welcoming with some trepidation the darkness to come,

and the threats of illness and starvation or even death that comes with it.

It's at this time of year so they believe the division between this world and the other world is at its thinnest.

The spirits of the deceased can move back and forth over the divide.

Now they are ready to greet and welcome their dead ancestors.

Some wear costumes so they can disguise themselves from harmful spirits.

This is the ancient Celtic festival of Sowen, and this is where Halloween began.

Hi buddy, welcome Down Snow's history here Halloween is fast approaching

do you know I was visiting family in Canada recently I'm reminded how unbelievably

seriously people take Halloween in North America it is big deal, but the ironic thing is that the

roots of Halloween are not in America. They're right here. In this little old archipelago

of ours in particular, the island of Ireland. and those roots stretch back thousands of years.

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