The Night the Fairies Walked Among UsIn old Ireland, Halloween was a night when some people thought twice about travelling alone after dark.
According to Irish folklore, Samhain was a time when the mysterious Otherworld could draw close to our own.
Among its inhabitants were the aos sí, meaning "people of the mounds", supernatural beings often described as the fairy folk.
These were not necessarily the gentle, winged fairies of children's storybooks.
They were mysterious and sometimes dangerous beings, associated with ancient hills, burial mounds and places known as fairy forts.
Many of these fairy forts were actually the remains of old settlements, but generations of Irish people believed they belonged to the fairy folk and warned against disturbing them.
On Halloween night, when spirits were believed to be especially active, travelling alone through the countryside was considered unwise.
I'm incredibly caught up in everything Irish right now, because I'm working on my new fantasy novel, Ailionn. It's set in ancient Ireland in AD 1, and contains many references to pagan and mystical rites, as well as seasonal festivals that were prevalent within the Irish culture at that time. Halloween seems like the perfect time of year to be writing it.
So... with Halloween upon us, I'll wish all of you around the world happy Halloween—and watch out for those fairies after dark! :)
🎃
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