Celebrate Celtic New Year This Saturday at the Irish Club!

Celebrate Celtic New Year This Saturday at the Irish Club!

This weekend many children will celebrate a traditional Halloween with trick-or-treating, costumes and candy. This Saturday, those of Irish descent will celebrate Celtic New Year.

According to Irish Culture & Customs’ website, “In Celtic folklore, the year is divided into two halves associated with the dark and light. The dark half begins at sunset on November 1st with Samhain, and the cycle ends when the light half begins at sunset on May 1st, which is the festival of Bealtaine. Both festivals are closely linked, but in general, Samhain is considered to be the most important.”

Celtic customs included sharing  a  feast that included the dearly departed as guests of honor. A special cake was made for them and a certain amount of other food was set aside just for them that was to be untouched by any mortal hand for the duration of the ritual period. 

Celtic New Year turned into All Saints Day because Christian Pope Boniface who took the festival of the dead and made it the festival of all saints and martyrs. Pope Gregory III shifted the celebration  to November. In Ireland, All Saints Day was instituted in 998 AD by Abbot Odilo of Cluny and by the 13th century, although many of the old Samhain rituals persisted as folk customs, November 1st had become firmly established as a Christian festival.

On Saturday, October 27th, the Greater Danbury Irish Cultural Center will celebrate Celtic New Year with family friendly activities, games and food at the club, 6 Lake Ave., Danbury.

Activities begin at 4:00p.m. with  face painting by Miss Jeanine , a bubble machine, a hot potato dance, a live clown,  Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin, basketball throws, a bean bag toss and a costume contest.

Later they will have the Druid Ceremony and ”Old Annie” in the house for some  very scary stories. Steve O’ Tee will sing Irish Songs and at 9:00 p.m., Johnny Love starts his ”Halloween Scaraoke Show,” with prizes for the best  adult costume and singer.

There will also be chances to purchase raffle tickets throughout the night to win big cash prizes! Ask the DJ or bartender for details!

For questions or more information call the club at 203-739-0010 or email danburyirishcenter@gmail.com.