Fáilte Ireland is aiming to position Ireland internationally as the home of Halloween with a new festival called Púca, which has been developed by the national tourism development authority in partnership with Meath and Louth County Councils.
Púca will feature a full programme of events that are planned to take place in the Trim and Athboy areas in Co. Meath and Drogheda in Co. Louth from October 31 to November 2.
"An Excellent Opportunity To Promote Ireland"
Speaking about the new festival, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross said, "Festivals play an important role in delivering brilliant visitor experiences, giving overseas visitors to Ireland a unique opportunity to experience the very best of our culture, people and places. Halloween is a globally recognised holiday and Fáilte Ireland’s new festival, Púca is an excellent opportunity to promote Ireland as the place where it all began."
The Ancient Celtic Tradition Of Samhain
According to Irish folklore and more recent archaeological evidence, Halloween can be traced back to the ancient Celtic tradition of Samhain. Meaning "summer’s end" in old Irish, Samhain marked the end of the Celtic Year and was believed to be a time of transition when the spirits of all those who had passed away since the previous Oíche Shamhna (October 31) moved onto the next life.
Funders And Steering Group
The Púca festival is being funded by Fáilte Ireland, Meath County Council and Louth County Council. It will be delivered by arts-led creative production company, Curated Place, and overseen by a steering group made up of representatives from Fáilte Ireland, Meath County Council, Louth County Council, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, the Office of Public Works and Boyne Valley Tourism.
© 2019 Hospitality Ireland – your source for the latest industry news. Article by Dave Simpson. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
