In ancient Celtic Ireland this time of year foreshadowed the coming hardship of Winter and was marked by the celebration known as Samhain. Animals were brought in from the pastures or slaughtered to fill the winter-stores. People turned to ritual to give them peace of mind in the coming darkness and help see them through to next year's summer. So animals were herded through cleansing gates of flaming pyres and feasts were held so that the dead might not feel lonely or forgotten and so call others to join them.

With the changing of the seasons the strength of the aes sídhe, the people of the mounds which included spirits and faeries, waxed as their power and mischief reached its height during Bealtaine and Samhain. While both of these celebrations have survived the spread of Christianity across Europe it is Samhain which has come out the stronger. Today we still conceal our true forms in costumes so that those creatures we mimic might mistake us for their own and leave us unmolested. We likewise placate them with treats or with mischievous tricks and try to scare them away with explosions of light and sound.

It is the giant cleansing fires that have endured most, however, as we still gather round in veneration of these sources of life giving light and heat. It is easy to understand why our ancestors clung so tightly to these pyres as the noisy creatures of the night slunk away from its exposing glow and its flames highlighted the ethereal steam rising from their animal's flanks. As Halloween come around once again let's remember the roots of this celebration and how these millennia old practices connect us to people who lived throughout history as far back as the ancient Celts.

To celebrate this ancient festival 'Talking History' will revisit last year's outside broadcast from Galway's Hotel Meyrick. Join us as we take a look back at the history of 'The City of the Tribes' and find out why the spirits of Celtic Ireland are still so strong on the western shores of Ireland. With a panel of experts we trace the story of Galway from its supposed founding by the Vikings in 807AD right up to its recent history and everything in between. Learn the truth about some of the famous myths from this exotic county and how it became the great city it is today.