i'm under the impression and opinion it is not! from my studies i've not come across this theory, however the internet makes things cloudy...there's no celtic god of the underworld named samhain...and i am curious where the term originates from...if it is indeed keltic...than who or why is it referred to as a celebration to a god that does not exist in that patheon...or is it just more of wiccan propaganda trying to maintain their claim as being an "old religion"?

i understand the history of halloween, right down to the gruesome baskets of cats and human sacrifice...why don't they mention any of these aspects to the celebration? *grins wickedly*

Samhain. All Hallows. All Hallow's Eve. Hallow E'en. Halloween. The most magical night of the year. Exactly opposite Beltane on the wheel of the year, Halloween is Beltane's dark twin. And this seems only fitting for the great Celtic New Year's festival. Of course, it isn't just a Celtic holiday. The Egyptians celebrated this as a festival of the dead. But the majority of our modern traditions can be traced to the British Isles.

The Celts called it Samhain, which means 'summer's end', according to their ancient two-fold division of the year, when summer ran from Beltane to Samhain and winter ran from Samhain to Beltane. (Some modern Covens echo this structure by letting the High Priest 'rule' the Coven beginning on Samhain, with rulership returned to the High Priestess at Beltane.) According to the later four-fold division of the year, Samhain is seen as 'autumn's end' and the beginning of winter. Samhain is pronounced (depending on where you're from) as 'sow-in' (in Ireland), or 'sow-een' (in Wales), or 'sav-en' (in Scotland), or (inevitably) 'sam-hane' (in the U.S., where we don't speak Gaelic).

Not only is Samhain the end of autumn; it is also, more importantly, the end of the old year and the beginning of the new. Celtic New Year's Eve, when the new year begins with the onset of the dark phase of the year, just as the new day begins at sundown. There are many representations of Celtic gods with two faces, and it surely must have been one of them who held sway over Samhain. Like his Roman counterpart Janus, he would straddle the theshold, one face turned toward the past in commemoration of those who died during the last year, and one face gazing hopefully toward the future, mystic eyes attempting to pierce the veil and divine what the coming year holds. These two themes, celebrating the dead and divining the future, are inexorably intertwined in Samhain, as they are likely to be in any New Year's celebration.


The Christian religion, with its emphasis on the 'historical' Christ and his act of redemption 2000 years ago, is forced into a linear view of time, where 'seeing the future' is an illogical proposition. In fact, from the Christian perspective, any attempt to do so is seen as inherently evil. This did not keep the medieval Church from co-opting Samhain's other motif, commemoration of the dead. To the Church, however, it could never be a feast for all the dead, but only the blessed dead, all those hallowed (made holy) by obedience to God - thus, All Hallow's, or Hallowmas, later All Saints and All Souls.

Hope that is of some help.

not really,but thank you, i've read most of that stuff on the internet, but that's most of what i disagree with...i've read the historical aspect of ireland, nothing wiccan based, or magickal, but the actual "archeological studies" of the brittish isles, it seems the only time i see any mention of samhain is on pagan/wiccan/or christian based sites...two faced gods?

See, now you've got me interested in finding out now! Talked to a few pagans and haven't really gotten a straight answer.

isn't it mind bending? i'm searching too....

Ahhhh! *gets excited* I think i've found something! (thanks vallisk)

http://www.religioustolerance.org/hallo_sa.htm

well i guess we can't expect much more from religions that had to make up their own from others...*shrugs* they can at least get the re hashed material right...

I may be misunderstanding your post Jordyn, but I'm gathering you're asking whether Samhain is Wiccan or Celtic, and either way, there does not exist a god called Samhain so why would the Celts celebrate it?


This is how I understand it, and may be proven wrong of course. Originally it is and remains a Celtic seasonal celebration. Wicca and Celtic spiritualism is essentially Pagan and therefore intertwined, yet significantly differ on many points. Wicca certainly contains many aspects of Celtic mythology, lore and folk magick but as an organized Religion it is less than a century old. It's a man made religion, with Crowley and Gardner as the forerunners. So technically speaking, Samhain is not a Wicca original. Gardner formulated his creation by fusing together Eastern philosophies, Egyptian ideologies and Judaic ceremonialism, in addition to Celtic lore. So Wicca draws its traditions and principles from a vast variety of origins.

Now as for Samhain, I believe it is indeed a Celtic celebration. The calendar and lives of the Celts were guided by the lunar and stellar cycles. "The Celtic day began at sunset, reinforcing the influence of the moon and stars on the culture. They believed that the New Year began at sundown on the eve of November 1st, which falls on October 31st or “Halloween” for us. Oidhche Shamhna, the Eve of Samhain, was the most important part of Samhain." So I don't think there needed to have been a god reference concerning this celebration, but merely celebrating the changing seasons, the New Year and the fact that the "dead walked the earth". This "holiday" is not only celebrated in its true form by Pagans and Wiccans alone, no matter the religious denomination, Celts today still celebrate this event as it was done in ages past. The word itself is the compound word derived from the Scots Gaelic words "sam," meaning, "summer" and "fuin," meaning, "end." So Samhain, or Samain, means literally "end of summer."

"The Irish-English dictionary defines Samhain as: "All Hallowtide, the feast of the dead in Pagan and Christian times, signaling the close of harvest and start of winter." The Scottish Gaelis Dictionary defines it as "Hallowtide. The feast of All Souls." So as you can see, Halloween is tied to the Samhain, although today it's only a pale shadow of the original Celtic festival."


"On the spiritual level Samhain was a time of inner contemplation because, for a warrior race, death was always present though not the tragedy it is in modern times. The important thing was to die with honor, live in the memory of the clan, and be honored at the great feast, Fleadh nan Mairbh (Feast of the Dead), which was held on Samhain Eve. This, for the Celts, was the most magical time of the year. They believed that when people died they went to the land of eternal youth and happiness called Tir nan Og, and they also believed that the turning points of time, such as day to night and summer to winter, were magical times. The Eve of Samhain, which was the turning point of the year, was even more so; it was believed that the veil between the two worlds was at its thinnest and that the living could communicate with their beloved dead in Tir nan Og."

Though entirely different, Mexico also celebrates a “Day of the Dead”!!

Samhain and Betaine also celebrate the Faere movings days, which happen at Midnight, when on Samhain the move to their Shadow Palace, and Beltaine their Spring Palace.
As already stated Samhain was considered to be the day of Rebirth, when Morrigan died and enetered the halls of the Dead, and the Shadow King Ruled.
Beltaine Celebrates the Maiden giving Birth to herself. And New Beginings.

that's what i've discovered to...if anything else it's a prime example of how commercialism and misinterpretation by organized religions ruin a lot of fascinating cultures...pity really.

I learned this in school

Oiche Samhana is Haloween and marks the end of the Summer, Samhain is the month that follows.

On oiche samhana all the gods are supposed to sleep and spirits are free to roam. (when the gods were asleep one samhain some hero whos' name escapes me stile the Dagdas sword Cian and this became the first Cliodh Solas in mans world [Cliodh Solas means sword of light, step up Mr. Lucas ])

So the definitions you have found as Samhain being a god of the underworld or somesuch are a little off, Samhain is more like "no gods" rather than a specific god

Wasn't it Cu Cullan(sp?) Who had the sword of light, to kill that worm.. what was it's name....

Yeah he had one but it wasn't the original, the Dagda got it back but not before the guy managed to break a shard off that all the others were made from.

There's loads of them, they pop up everywhere.
They were usually owned by giants and stolen by heroes

Couldn't find a reference to that story, but I found this.

(sô'van - or - SHAH-vin) The Celtic festival which marked the New Year and was held on 1 November, corresponding roughly to Hallowe'en. Samhain eve was associated with the opening of the Sidhes and was a time of the dead. The feast marked the beginning of winter proper and its name may be related to 'summer's end'. At this time beasts were slaughtered for winter store and to conserve herds during the lean months: beasts were brought into winter pasture or into outbuildings. But most especially it was the inception of winter when the Cailleach ruled. In a curious early Irish text we hear of a strange boardgame which the boys of Rome play. At one end of the board is a cailleach with a dragon which she sends against a maiden with the lamb. The game was instituted by the sibyl, says the story, and explains why Samhain is so called. This contest is a clear remembrance of combat between winter and spring, which in Celtic terms were governed by the Cailleach and Brigit respectively. See: OIMELC and: LUNANTISHEE. # 166-438-454

Well it's still celebrated although "trick or treating" has infected most of it now, when I was a kid it was much more authentic.

As for slaughtering the beasts.. it's usually alcahol now, a long weekend is as good an excuse as any

As for the Cailleach, on a couple of Haloweens after the "feasting" I have woken up with the Cailleach beside me

Cailleach means Old Hag

well maybe i'll have to go check things out keep them hag's away for you

It could be hard work, after around ten pints I'm anyones

well crones are a symbol of wisdom...have you had a lot of wisdom imparted upon you? So what else have wiccans diluted from irish myth?