Halloween in Dublin

31-Oct-2025

Editor’s Note: Ben is busy. Like… We can’t quite describe how busy Ben is, with this whole “Master’s Program” aside from pointing to the lack of updates, hiking, climbing, and even gym time. In short – Thank you, dear readers, for bearing with him while he get’s his world in order.

DID YOU KNOW?

Dublin is the home of Halloween?

Well, yes. You likely do know, dear readers, as I do believe I’ve posted a bit about it in my Rathcrogan, Cave of the Cats, post a while back.

But then… what does an American do, when in Dublin, for Halloween?

Well.

…

Not that much, as it turns out. From what I learned, Halloween here is a bit more of a “tribal” thing? Or at least, a more tightly-knit friend group thing. For Ex-Pats like myself, there really isn’t a ton going on. Myself, my Classmate Andrea, my friend Brian, and a whole slew of other classmates all huddled up and went to a nearby pub that was supposedly hosting a Halloween costume party (but clearly didn’t, because we clearly would have won).

For Dubliners, or especially the folks living in the neighborhood that I’ve made my home, it’s a bit more of an ancient affair. Which is to say – kids gather wood for a month or so ahead of time, storing it in vast quantities in hidden lairs. They raid other kid’s stashes, and protect their own from opportunistic raiding, in the dream of having the biggest bonfire.

Then, the evening of Halloween, the city burns. Seriously, see the link below.

Countless bonfires and fireworks go off, and parties are had, and people celebrate… all while those international personas, such as myself, wonder how exactly to break into those friend groups so that we too can dance around the fire…

Though, maybe, we can keep a fire extinguisher nearby. Just a thought.