Ireland Launches Powerful Campaign to Welcome the World to the Birthplace of Halloween

Halloween may be celebrated across continents today, but its roots go far deeper than pumpkins and costumes. Over two thousand years ago, on the mist-covered lands of the Celts, the festival of Samhain was born on the island of Ireland. It marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the darker half of the year, a mystical moment when the boundary between the living and the spirit world was believed to dissolve.

This autumn, Ireland is proudly reclaiming its role as the birthplace of Halloween. Tourism Ireland has launched a powerful global initiative inviting travellers to discover the origin of the world’s favourite autumn celebration through immersive festivals, ancient traditions, haunting landscapes and unforgettable cultural stories.

Celebrating Halloween Where It Began

The Home of Halloween campaign is one of Tourism Ireland’s most ambitious seasonal drives to date. Designed to boost autumn tourism, it showcases Ireland as the authentic home of Halloween and taps into a growing global interest in cultural travel experiences. Instead of commercialised frights, visitors are offered deeper storytelling, historic sites and Celtic-inspired pageantry.

From late September to early November, the island transforms into a realm of folklore, fire, myth and magic. Thousands of visitors will journey through ancient sites like the Hill of Ward in County Meath—where Samhain is believed to have originated—and vibrant festival cities that honour the season with creativity and spectacle.

Festival Highlights Across the Island

Ireland hosts a range of Halloween experiences that blend ancient Celtic themes with modern artistic expression:

• Derry Halloween – Recognised as one of Europe’s biggest Halloween festivals, it brings a city of walls alive with costumed parades, haunted trails, light shows and street theatre. The event celebrates ancestral customs while creating a spectacular carnival atmosphere.
• Púca Festival, Meath – Named after the mythic shapeshifting Celtic spirit, Púca reawakens Samhain traditions in the Boyne Valley, the mythical heart of Ireland. Visitors are treated to storytelling sessions, fire ceremonies, folk music and immersive night-time experiences.
• Macnas Halloween Parade, Galway – Known for its giant sculptures and theatrical magic, this international spectacle delivers dreamlike performances that mesmerize audiences young and old.
• Bram Stoker Festival, Dublin – A tribute to the Irish creator of Dracula, this gothic celebration explores the darker side of literature, film and art through late-night tours, performances and atmospheric installations.
• Fire and Shadows Celebrations in Longford and Limerick – Community-driven pageants, fire rituals and Celtic rites revive Ireland’s spiritual connections to harvest traditions.

Global Campaign to Drive Autumn Tourism

To attract international visitors, Tourism Ireland is promoting Halloween across 12 key source markets including the United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the Nordic countries.

The 2025 campaign includes:

• High-impact cinematic videos showcasing Ireland’s misty mountains, forests, ancient stone circles and autumn scenery alongside festival scenes.
• Press and media visits bringing 50 major international journalists and travel creators to experience Derry Halloween and Púca Festival, generating global coverage with a combined reach of over 100 million viewers.
• Documentary storytelling, including a new film Les mystères d’Halloween, airing across Europe on ARTE and exploring Ireland’s role in the origins of Halloween. Another major documentary project is now in production for 2026 and will feature extensive filming in Derry.
• Major social media push across Tourism Ireland’s digital channels and its official website Ireland.com, offering travel tips and festival guides.
• Strategic travel partnerships with online platforms and tour operators, already generating over €50 million in booked trips to Ireland.
• Promotional events overseas from Madrid to Milan and Sydney, where Tourism Ireland teams are hosting themed experiences, cultural showcases and trade activations.

Reviving the Legend of Samhain

At the core of this campaign lies a deeper purpose—telling the story of Samhain. This ancient Celtic festival honoured spirits, marked seasonal cycles and celebrated community through bonfires, feasts and traditions. Modern Halloween grew from these customs and travelled abroad with Irish migrants in the 19th century before becoming a global event.

By bringing travellers back to the source, Ireland offers something deeper than entertainment—it provides a connection to heritage. Visitors can walk sacred landscapes, attend traditional storytelling sessions, explore haunted castles, trace Celtic folklore, or simply enjoy the warm hospitality of Irish towns and villages during the autumn season.

Autumn Tourism with Cultural Heart

Halloween adds a cultural dimension to Ireland’s seasonal tourism strategy, encouraging travel outside peak summer months. It supports local economies while preserving regional folklore and creative traditions. Whether visitors come for ghostly intrigue, ancient myths, Irish music or atmospheric scenery, the season invites them to experience Ireland in one of its most enchanting moods.

Tourism Ireland is not just promoting a holiday—it is reviving a global story that began on Irish soil. Autumn on this emerald island is more than a seasonal change; it is a time when cultural roots rise again, history speaks through firelight, and travel becomes a journey into legend.

Ireland is ready to welcome the world home for Halloween—where the story began, and where the magic still lives.

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