Ireland in $420s-$470s RT

Of all the deals to rise from the grave,

It's Ireland's bewitching isle you crave.

Samhain's near, the veil grows thin

Who knows when you'll see flights this low again? 

The home of Halloween, just in time for All Hallow's Eve. And how are we celebrating, you ask? 

With fires, fleadh and folklore! Perhaps one of the most spectacular celebrations is Púca, a four-day pagan festival haunting the ancient hills of Trim and Athboy—places once believed to be a gateway to the underworld. You'll find bonfires, torchlit processions, and shapeshifting music and art installations. 

Further north, Derry brings a slightly more commercial twist during Europe's largest Halloween festival. The city's medieval walls glow with spectral projections, and eerie performances and parades spill across borders amongst ghosts born from the city's once-troubled past. 

As for myself? I'm based in Cork. So most likely I'll be dressed to the nines, hiding under a brolly watching the Dragon of Shandon Parade. In the weeks leading up to it, artists and volunteers gather across the city in old warehouses and community halls to bring this giant papier-mache creature to life.

On Halloween night, the dragon finally awakens, led by hundreds of performers, musicians, and masked revelers. Rain or shine, we pour into the streets to summon the spirit of Samhain.