Hallowe'en dying out?

[holidaysong]

It's just an excuse to blow up stuff and not get arrested. It is therefore quite popular in Dundalk.

[Metrostars]

we never had bonfires at helloween, we had them the 23rd of june, was that only a west of ireland thing, cos I really can't remember ever seeing it any further, actually any further than roscommon......plus the collecting for a month beforehand meant you got loads because you were off school!! always thought the helloween one was for the prodies guy fawkes thing ( i know he wasnt proddie either )

reminds me of the really big last one we had, years and years ago, you dont see them at home anymore either. it was about 200 feet from the railway line, but the bastids from the fire brigade put it out saying that the chemicals could react with it and create a huge explosion, waited till they left and just started it again!! it took them a good half hour to put it out and all, thats how good our bonfire was

Yep, Saint John's night in June. Big bonfire night!

Here in the US, it's a big holiday for the kids getting dressed up and going trick or treating. It's fun for them. we had about 30 callers to the door last night. Plus some older kids asking for eggs which we refused (don't want that crap on my car!).

[bennocelt]

I think its changing, but not dying out. Personally I've always loved the American way of going over the top for Halloween, with trick or treating being the main aspect of it. In Ireland I think its become more about setting off Roman Candles at someones door and legging it than actually enjoying the holiday.

not dying out, no way,
im home this year for halloween, first time in years, 6 knocks to the door, usual ratio
but when i was a young lad.....halloween was all about letting off roman candles and terrorising your neighbours, or at least fighting with the other guys the other side of town, you were allowed to be a naughty little shi t in halloween, thats whats its all about! none of that american dressing up sh ite

[Babysis]

Its never been a big deal where i am in London - no one i know ever went trick or treating (alot of it was a safety thing supposedly)! Was in Derry for the weekend and I was gutted not to be able to stay on for halloween. It is the best place for it - completely mad and so much fun. Bonfire night is a big deal for some over here - one of the biggest displays in London is round the corner from me (ally pally), but doubt I will head out for it.

[paul_oshea]

Bonfire Night can refer to a number of occasions:

Guy Fawkes Night on 5 November in the UK
St. John's Eve, on 23 June in Ireland
Bonfire Night on 11 July in Northern Ireland, precursor to The Twelfth


ah ya, so the one we celebrated was the proper IRISH one, not the proddy north or uk one.....so why do people on here go on about any other than the 23rd?

On the evening of June 23, St. John's Eve (or Bonfire Night) is celebrated in many parts of rural Ireland with the lighting of bonfires.

This ancient custom has its roots in pre-Christian Irish society when the Celts honoured the Goddess Áine, the Celtic equivalent of Venus and Aphrodite. She was the Goddess Queen of Munster and Christianised rituals in her honour (as Naomh Áine) took place until the nineteenth century on Knockainy, (Cnoc Áine - the Hill of Áine) on Co. Limerick.

Similar festivities take place in Spain. Bonfires are lit and effigees burned on the evening of June 23. People jump over the bonfires to prove their courage. Traditionally, three jumps cleanses one from sin and disease. Public celebrations have begun cordoning off the fires for safety reasons. One of the centers of the festival is in Ciutadella. Many different cities and towns have their own unique traditions associated with the festival. Historically, this date has been venerated in the practice of Voodoo. The famous Voodoo priestess, Marie Laveau, was said to have held ceremonies involving Voodoo ritual on the Bayou St. John in New Orleans, commemorating St. John's Eve. Modern day practioners of Voodoo have kept the tradition alive.

[Lim till i die]

Not one robbed car

No bonfire

Explosions ending at ten

No one on the roads drinking

It aint what it used to be

[Lionel Ritchie]

Echoing Jebus' sentiments.

halloween down here is changing but not for the better.

There's more decorations and better costumes (though fewer home made which is a pity) but far fewer kids trick-or-treating because their parents think, with some justification, that it's too feckin dangerous to let them out mainly due to (only slightly) older, freckle faced, sticky headed slitty eyed gluesniffer *****s laden with eggs and setting off what I suspect is decomishioned RA ordinace from early til late.

Limerick sounded like Beirut this year and I'd be surprised if the story isn't similar elsewhere. If they'd only calibrate it to set them off at one time it'd be colourful and spectacular but for lots of these little cnuts it has nothing to do with celebration but rather intimidation and making a general nuisance of themselves.

We have relatively few Halloween bonfires down here as we let that particular little bit of sociopathy rip on April 30th -The "traditional May Eve bonfires" ) which are now used as a cover for grand scale, orchestrated illegal dumping.

To think I used laugh at a mates Dad when he used say "y'know time was when you'd have one good overseas war every 20 years to thin out their ranks a bit".

Anyone think of anyone we can declare war on?

[Kingdom]

To think I used laugh at a mates Dad when he used say "y'know time was when you'd have one good overseas war every 20 years to thin out their ranks a bit".

Anyone think of anyone we can declare war on?

Mayo, they never win anything.

[Thunderblaster]

we never had bonfires at helloween, we had them the 23rd of june, was that only a west of ireland thing, cos I really can't remember ever seeing it any further, actually any further than roscommon

And even they are dying out!!

If anything its getting bigger in Monaghan. Over the last few years the town council have finally taken things on board and the Neighbourhood Youth Project kids make and parade in the shopping centre in costumes, then there is a samba band playing and its all rounded off with a wicked fireworks display outside the shopping centre. Its over by half 8 and thats when most kids do their trick or treating.

I guess everything is a party with parades and fireworks displays in Monaghan.

[Magicme]

I guess everything is a party with parades and fireworks displays in Monaghan.

After last nites victory over Dundalk....you betcha!