Samhain was the Celtic New Year! Samhain divided summer from winter... and we think our seasons change quickly in Ohio! The Celtic Samhain was the precursor to today's Halloween according to most sources. Oidche Shamhna means Night of Samhain.
Happy Halloween Columbus Ohio! Most local children are trick or treating on Halloween for the first time in a looooooong time.
The Celts were pagan. They were druids in pre-Christian time. Pagan does not equal wicca but if you are opposed to Halloween you might as well not read this as I will be talking about magic, spirits and a curse. Before you go here is an Irish Christian Blessing for Halloween.
At all Hallow's Tide, God keep you safe
From goblin and pooka and black-hearted stranger,
From harm of the water and hurt of the fire,
From thorns of the bramble, from all other danger,
From Will O' The Wisp haunting the mire;
From stumbles and tumbles
and tricksters to vex you,
May God in His mercy, this week protect you.
Celtic Spirit has information about 'dooking for apples" and other Halloween and Samhain holiday Traditions. "Dooking" means bobbing.
Also from Celtic Spirit: And getting an answer to a question with an Apple and a Mirror.... "Before the stroke of midnight, sit in front of a mirror in a room lit only by one candle or the moon. Go into the silence, and ask a question. Cut the apple into nine pieces. With your back to the mirror, eat eight of the pieces, then throw the ninth over your left shoulder. Turn your head to look over the same shoulder, and you will see and in image or symbol in the mirror that will tell you your answer. (When you look in the mirror, let your focus go "soft," and allow the patterns made by the moon or candlelight and shadows to suggest forms, symbols and other dreamlike images that speak to your intuition.) "
The Wikepedia entry for Columbus Ohio mentions a bit about the Irish that settled in Central Ohio. Many of the Irish settlers lived in Flytown. From Wikepedia: "Other neighborhoods and crossroads around the area include: Berwick, Hungarian Village, Merion Village, Steelton, Milo Grogan, Flytown, Italian Village, Weinland Park, Driving Park, Olde Town East, Marble Cliff, Valley View, New Rome, Briggsdale, Urbancrest, Eastmoor, Minerva Park, Huber Ridge, Mifflinville, Linworth, Riverlea, Olentangy, Amlin, Lincoln Village, and Alton" There is no information about Flytown on Wikepdia (or some of the other historical neighborhoods.) There is a historical marker for Flytown on the south end of Victorian Village.
A REALTOR® / auctioneer in Massachusetts who thinks he is a Milesian Druid (but who does not practice witchcraft) put a curse on me some months ago.... we have a disagreement regarding "shilling" and auctions. It was as far as I can tell a non specific curse, he never said what would happen.
If you are read this blog you may wonder if the last Miesian Druid put a font size curse on me...Somdays the print gets big... it gets little.
Is it any wonder with a name like Jack O' Lantern that it is the Irish who gave us the carved pumpkin? O'Brien, O'Shaunessy, O'Doyle, O'Lantern.... O' means "of" as in son of. "Mc" also means of as in "son of." Son of Cabe? Caba is hood, cape or cloak? I believe they were soldiers, mercenaries.
I have read in Ireland they carved gourds, squashes and turnips for Halloween.
Click on the Jack O' Lantern and use your mouse to carve a face. Then click on Done!
Beggars Night is on Halloween for the first time in many years in most Central Ohio communities. According to the Columbus Dispatch Beggars night being before Halloween was because Columbus historically had a Halloween Party on October 31!
According to the Columbus Dispatch, the Columbus Halloween party was discontinued in the 1950's because it got out of hand!
An Irish Blessing for Halloween
At all Hallow's Tide, God keep you safe
From goblin and pooka and black-hearted stranger,
From harm of the water and hurt of the fire,
From thorns of the bramble, from all other danger,
From Will O' The Wisp haunting the mire;
From stumbles and tumbles
and tricksters to vex you,
May God in His mercy, this week protect you.
Discover Columbus is a site about Columbus Ohio.
Originally named "Columbus Best Blog," it was never the best blog in Columbus Ohio. It was a blog about the best in Columbus and Central Ohio! Best restaurants, best real estate company, best schools, best neighborhoods..... written by Maureen McCabe a licensed real estate agent with Columbus Ohio's best real estate company, Real Living HER.
Discover Columbus is just a site about Central Ohio.
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