Halloween in Ireland | Irish American Mom

Easy Pumpkin Carving – Book Giveaway

October 14, 2017 by Irish American Mom 28 Comments

This Halloween 64 million Americans will carve a pumpkin, but did you know the Irish brought the tradition of carving pumpkins at Halloween to America?

Note: This post contains affiliate links which means I will earn a small commission should you choose to purchase a product through this link. The price you pay does not change.

In the new book Easy Pumpkin Carving: Spooktacular Patterns, Tips & Ideas by Colleen Dorsey you will learn how to carve the best Jack-O-Lantern on the block. This little book teaches both traditional and modern pumpkin carving and decorating techniques. From the classic Jack-O-Lantern and the Spooky Black Cat to creative new designs, it really has something for everyone!

Today I have a copy of this little book for a reader to win, together with a pumpkin carving tool kit. But before I tell you how to enter, let’s first explore a little history of pumpkin carving.

Making Jack O’Lanterns – A Celtic Tradition:

The Irish brought the tradition of carving Jack O’Lanterns to America. But, the original Irish Jack O’Lanterns were not made out of pumpkins.

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In Ireland rutabagas or what the Irish call turnips were used to make lanterns. Not a pumpkin to be found in Ireland back in ancient times.

Our Celtic forefathers carved turnips on All Hallow’s Eve. They lit them up by placing a glowing ember from a turf fire inside the carved turnip shell. The lanterns were said to ward off evil spirits.

Original Irish Jack O’Lantern made out of a carved rutabaga

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Pretty scary looking this turnip head lantern. No wonder the Irish adopted pumpkins for their Halloween artwork once they got to America.

Stingy Jack And The Jack O’Lantern:

The reason for all this turnip carving centered around a notoriously mean character called Stingy Jack. His legend has been handed down for generations in Irish folklore. There are many versions of the tale of Stingy Jack, but here’s one I like.

Jack was a bit of a cod actor. He loved to play tricks and one day he made a serious mistake. He decided to play a trick on the Devil himself. Using his guile and smooth talking ways he managed to convince the Devil to climb into an apple tree. When the Devil wasn’t looking Jack placed crosses around the tree trunk, stranding the Devil in the tree.

And then Jack did the unthinkable. He made a deal with the Devil. Before removing the crosses to free the Devil, Jack made Old Nick Himself promise not to touch his soul when he passed away.

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Decades later, Jack passed to the other side and headed off to the gates of Heaven. Now Stingy Jack’s reputation preceded him and Saint Peter denied him entry to Heaven. Stingy Jack headed toward Hell but being true to his promise, the Devil wouldn’t let Stingy Jack enter.

Jack was stranded between Heaven and Hell and in a very dark place. He asked the Devil for some light, and the Devil threw him a burning coal. Jack placed the coal inside a carved out turnip and has been roaming the highways and byways of Ireland and the world ever since.

The Irish called this ghostly figure “Jack of the Lantern” which over the years has been shortened to “Jack O’Lantern.”

Lantern Lighting On Halloween:

On All Hallow’s Eve Irish tradition was to light Jack O’Lanterns to keep Stingy Jack away. Turnips, rutabagas, beets and potatoes were hallowed out to hold burning embers and light up the night.

When Irish immigrants came to American shores in droves throughout the 1800’s they brought their rutabaga carving ways with them. Now rutabagas are not easy to carve. For anyone who likes to eat rutabaga as a side you know how difficult it is to peel and cut a rutabaga.

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The Irish in America soon discovered the larger and and easier to carve pumpkin and got busy making their Jack O’Lanterns for Halloween. This Irish tradition of carving pumpkins continues to this very day throughout the United States.

And so, as you carve your pumpkin this year, remember you are practicing a little bit of your Irish heritage.

Easy Pumpkin Carving:

And now that I have you all interested in carving pumpkins let’s explore Coleen Dorsey’s excellent book which is chock full of pumpkin .

Photographs throughout this book provide details of the numerous techniques shown. I love all the wonderful images of finished pumpkins.

Whether you are a beginner or a pro when it comes to pumpkin carving, this book has something for everyone.

There is a complete section on how to embellish pumpkins which is perfect for younger children. No sharp tools required.

Etching is another option for older kids, and there’s a link for an online pattern at the end of the book. Plenty of inspiration to be found for all pumpkin crafters this Halloween season.

So Many Ways To Create Halloween Pumpkins:

Until I read this book I had no idea there are so many ways to decorate a pumpkin for Halloween.

First of all, you’ll find tips and tricks to make pumpkin carving easier, faster, and more effective than the carving you might already know how to do.

Second of all, this book helps you choose the perfect pumpkin from the many varieties now available. Pumpkins are even sold in Ireland these days. Apparently the Irish climate is perfect for growing pumpkins.

You will also learn several techniques for carving and embellishing pumpkins that go beyond traditional carving.

You can create luminary pumpkins and etched pumpkins, combine multiple pumpkins in creative ways, and embellish pumpkins without even touching a knife.

It won’t be until you see the ideas presented in this book that you’ll realize just how cool (and easy) pumpkin carving can be!

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will win a copy of this Easy Pumpkin Carving book plus a pumpkin carving kit to help you on your way.

To enter just leave a comment on this blog post by noon on Thursday, October 19th, 2017.

Any comment will do. What you write does not affect your chance of winning, but if you need inspiration why not tell us about your family Halloween traditions or perhaps you have a pumpkin carving tip to share.

A winning comment will be chosen randomly. Remember to leave your e-mail so that I can contact you should you win. Your e-mail won’t be published, just used to contact our lucky contestant for mailing of the prize.

The winner will be announced on Thursday, October 19th 2017, at the bottom of this blog post.

You may check out Irish American Mom’s complete terms and conditions for sweepstakes’ entries by clicking here.

A big thank you to Colleen Dorsey for this wonderful book and to Fox Chapel Publishing who provided me with a digital copy of this text to help me prepare this blog post.

And thanks to all who join in the fun and support this giveaway. Please feel free to share this post and let friends and family know they could be in with a chance to win this lovely prize.

And if you win, be careful with those sharp carving tools. Happy pumpkin carving to all.

Winner Chosen:

A winner has been randomly chosen using the Pick Giveaway Winner Plugin for WordPress. The happy pumpkin carver will be …..

Veronica Vatter

I’ll send Veronica an email to let her know the good news. Many thanks to all who entered this giveaway and thank you to Fox Chapel Publishing for introducing this book to us.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Spiorad na Samhna – A Documentary Film About Halloween in Derry City.

October 10, 2016 by Irish American Mom 2 Comments

Halloween and fall celebrations are in full swing all around America. Today, I have a little treat for all who are interested in Celtic history and the Irish origins of Halloween.

I’m delighted to introduce you to a documentary film all about “Spiorad na Samhna” (phonetically pronounced as “spir-id nah sow-nah”, with “sow” said as it is when referring to a pig), which in English means the “Spirit of Halloween.”

dancers-spiorad-na-samhna — Dancers at the Spiorad na Samhna Festival in Derry

This bilingual short film tells a two-fold story of how the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-in) was transformed into today’s Halloween, as well as the origins of Ireland’s biggest Halloween Carnival, in Derry.

The latter began in 1982 in a very bleak period in the city’s history, post- Hunger Strikes. Before then, only children dressed up at Halloween. Tony Toland, manager of the Castle Bar, decided to hold a competition for best costumes.

tony-toland-dressed-up-for-the-first-halloween-celebration-in-derry — Tony Toland of the Castle Bar, organizer of the 1982 Halloween Celebration in Derry.

In the first year, only a half dozen people dressed up but, within 3 years, the idea had spread to other bars and spilled on to the streets in a chaotic but peaceful way. Thousands headed to the city center each year, mingling with armed police and soldiers — some imitating them in great detail!

It was this spontaneous, mad event until 1986 when the City Council, recognizing it was a success, added music and fireworks, then a parade, leading to the 3-day Halloween Carnival in Derry, now the biggest in Ireland.

Of course, the roots of Halloween go deeper. Dr. Jenny Butler, Univeristy College, Cork, narrates how it developed from the Celtic festival of Samhain, a time when people prepared for winter, when the Otherworld opened, allowing communication between the living and the dead.

The film has now been screened at festivals in Ireland, Italy and at Irish film festivals in Boston and Seattle.

You can watch the entire short film on Vimeo.

A big thank you to Dessie Baker, the director of this documentary, for sharing his work with us today. Much appreciation goes to other members of this film team including Ciara Ní Fhearghail, the editor, together with Éadaoin Breathnach, Chris McAlinden, and Fiachra O Longain for their camera and sound work, and Paul Kerr for pub photos.

Wishing you all a very happy October, and may all your fall and Halloween celebrations be full of fun and laughter.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Colcannon – A Traditional Irish Halloween Dish

October 29, 2012 by Irish American Mom 34 Comments

Colcannon? At Halloween? Most Americans think of Irish colcannon as a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dish, but colcannon was originally associated with Halloween in Ireland.

What is Colcannon?

Colcannon is mashed potato mixed with a green cooked and shredded vegetable such as cabbage or kale.

There are many, many variations of the basic colcannon recipe. Some call for meat like ham or bacon, some for regular onions, others for green onions or leeks. Some Irish colcannon recipes insist on Savoy cabbage while I always associate curly kale with traditional Irish colcannon.

So what is the most traditional, most accurate reinterpretation of this Irish Halloween dish? Since the ingredients used to make colcannon grew abundantly in Irish country gardens, the Irish cook literally used whatever she had on hand, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact right combination of ingredients.

My version contains creamy mashed potatoes mixed with curly kale, scallions, and green onions. Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!

Colcannon And Halloween:

A bit of old blarney revolves around colcannon and unmarried women. Young Irish girls in years gone by were blindfolded and sent out to the garden at Halloween to pick a cabbage. A ring was then hidden in the colcannon made with said cabbage. Whomever found the ring on their plate was said to be the next to marry.

Another old Halloween colcannon tale tells how unmarried women put the first and last bite of colcannon into a stocking and hung it on their front door. The next unmarried man to grace that door was said to be her intended husband.

Who needed matchmakers if a stocking of colcannon did the trick? I wonder how long it was left hanging there. Maybe it was the smell of stinky, old cabbage that eventually attracted a curious, unsuspecting bachelor.

So enough of the storytelling, let’s move on to my recipe for this ever-so-Irish dish.

Ingredients:

3 lbs russet potatoes
2 minced shallots
1/2 cup chopped green onions (also called scallions)
4 cups chopped fresh kale
4 ounces butter
1/2 cup half and half
3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or to taste)

Directions:

The first step to colcannon is making mashed potatoes. Peel the potatoes, and cut them into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Cut each potato into quarters or eighths depending upon how large they are.

Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water, bringing the water to an inch above the potatoes.

Season the water with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring the potato water to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.

Drain the potatoes and set them aside while you prepare the onions and kale. I like to cover the cooked potatoes with a clean dish cloth under the lid of the pot. This helps absorb the steam the potatoes give off, but keeps them warm while waiting.

I think colcannon has been made with every kind of onion ever grown, from big yellow onions to leeks to scallions. I like the milder flavor of shallots combined with the slight crunch of green onions (known as scallions in Ireland).

Mince the shallots finely.

Next , finely slice the green onions, both stems and bulbs.

Clean and chop the kale, or do as I do. Buy a pre-washed, pre-chopped bag of kale. Even when I do this I look through the kale and remove any tough or thick-looking stalks.

Melt 2 ounces of the butter in the bottom of a large skillet.

Add the shallot and saute for 2 minutes.

Next add the kale and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it wilts.

Many people use cabbage for colcannon. I like to use kale because it is so easy to cook it in a large skillet. Cabbage usually requires boiling to get it tender enough to mix through the mashed potato. So I take the easy route and use kale. I also like the flavor kale adds to the dish.

Throw in the chopped green onions and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.

Now it is time to give those spuds some attention. Mash them with a potato masher. Add the last 2 ounces of butter and the half and half.

I only use about 1/2 cup of half and half, but feel free to add up to a cup, depending on how loose you like your mashed potatoes. I just don’t like sloppy spuds so I limit the amount of liquid I add.

I like half and half for this dish rather than milk. In years gone by our ancestors would have skimmed the creamy milk from the top of the churn to make this dish. Others would have used the “top of the bottle” in the days when milk was delivered to homes in glass, pint bottles. Half and half is the closest thing to the “top of the bottle”.

Time for greens and mash to meet.

Mix them thoroughly together with a potato masher. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. I like to use white pepper. I just don’t like the look of black pepper flecks through my potatoes.

And there it is, colcannon.

To serve colcannon, make a well in the center and add a knob of butter, which as it melts adds to the delicious flavors of this traditional Irish dish.

For anyone looking for a husband, don’t forget the old tales, and go ahead and toss in a ring. Just make sure all those eating are pre-warned to avoid any ring swallowing incidents.

Happy Halloween.

Here is the printable recipe:

Colcannon

Print recipe

Serves	6
Prep time	30 minutes
Cook time	30 minutes
Total time	1 hour
Meal type	Side Dish
Occasion	Halloween
Region	Irish

Colcannon is a traditional Irish Halloween dish made of mashed potatoes mixed with onions and cabbage or kale.

Ingredients

3lb russet potatoes
2 minced shallots
1/2 cup chopped green onions (also called scallions)
4 cups chopped fresh kale
4oz butter
1/2 cup half and half
3/4 teaspoons salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (or to taste)

Directions

Step 1	Peel the potatoes and cut them into eighths. Place them in a large pot and cover with cold water by about an inch. Season the water with 1/2 teastpoon of salt.
Step 2	Bring the potatoes to a boil, then reduce the heat and continue to simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until fork tender. Drain the potatoes, then cover with a clean dish cloth and the lid of the pot.
Step 3	Melt 2 ounces of butter in a large skillet. Add the minced shallot and saute for 2 minutes.
Step 4	Add the chopped kale and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until wilted.
Step 5	Add the green onions and cook for 2 more minutes.
Step 6	Mash the potatoes. Add 2 ounces of butter, the half and half and the wilted greens to the potatoes. Mix them through the potatoes with a masher.
Step 7	Season with salt and white pepper to taste.
Step 8	Serve hot in bowls or as a side. Make a well in the center of each serving of colcannon. Place a knob of butter to melt in the potato well.

Slán agus beannacht!

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Easy Pumpkin Carving – Book Giveaway

Making Jack O’Lanterns – A Celtic Tradition:

Stingy Jack And The Jack O’Lantern:

Lantern Lighting On Halloween:

Easy Pumpkin Carving:

So Many Ways To Create Halloween Pumpkins:

The Giveaway:

One lucky reader will win a copy of this Easy Pumpkin Carving book plus a pumpkin carving kit to help you on your way.

Winner Chosen:

Veronica Vatter

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Spiorad na Samhna – A Documentary Film About Halloween in Derry City.

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Colcannon – A Traditional Irish Halloween Dish

What is Colcannon?

Colcannon And Halloween:

Ingredients:

Directions:

Colcannon

Ingredients

Directions

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