Bunratty Folk Park goes back to pagan times for Halloween festival

Getting set for the Halloween festival to mark the traditional Irish Samhain at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.

TIME travelling twists, creepy crypts and pagan roots are all part of a special Halloween festival to mark the traditional Irish Samhain at Bunratty Castle and Folk Park.

Focusing on old Halloween traditions and a few modern twists associated with this time of year, visitors are invited to come and experience Samhain from October 29 to November 2.

Bunratty Events Manager Marie Brennan said they were planning a series of activities ranging from the Creepy Crypt, and a “Thriller” mini disco to the Halloween Spook Train ride, and the Fearsome Fairy Village where unpleasant creatures abide.

“In the weeks leading up to Halloween, local primary school pupils have been busy creating scarecrows which we will have on display in the park over midterm for our Scarecrow Competition. We will be asking visitors to rate their favourite scarecrow based on design, originality and, of course ,“scary-ness”.

“We are also asking out visitors to get creative and dress in costume, to join the village characters who will be dressed in traditional Halloween attire.”

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Visitors are warned to be on the lookout for the weird and wacky creepy characters who could just appear out of nowhere, among them the Frankenstein, The Minister of Death, an escaped convict and terrifying witches on the prowl.

Bean an Tí’s will explain the types of food that typically would have been eaten in Samhain of old, including barmbrack and apple cake while even the Folk Park fairies have got into the Halloween spirit by transforming their magical village into a scary forest.

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