Samhain (pronounced ‘sow-in’)

The Cat Sìth is the black fairy cat of Highland folklore, with Irish cousins. Here’s what the oldest source really says, where the soul-stealing and Samhain milk stories came from, and how a witch’s ninth change may have given cats nine lives.

Halloween grew out of Samhain, the Irish festival at the start of winter. Here’s the real story, with folklore and history kept apart: the Hill of Ward fire, the púca, Stingy Jack’s turnip jack-o’-lantern, the barmbrack ring, how emigrants took it all to America, traditions to try at home, and the four Halloween festivals in Ireland worth travelling for in 2026.