Corlea Trackway hosts haunting Halloween celebrations and bewitching family events

Ancient boglands come alive for Féile na Samhna

This Halloween, step into one of Ireland’s most atmospheric ancient sites – the Corlea Trackway Visitor Centre and boglands in Longford – for Féile na Samhna, a festival of myth, fire, folklore and community.

The Corlea Iron Age roadway, preserved in the bog for 2,000 years, is a place of thresholds: between land and water, past and present, this world and the otherworld. There is no more fitting place to celebrate Samhain, when that veil grows thin.

From October 25 to November 2, Corlea comes alive with a diverse programme of events. Families can enjoy craft workshops, archaeology mini-digs, pumpkin decorating, and the Boohoo Scary Dress Ball, whilst younger children stir potions with the sprites of Scéalta Beo. For older children, archaeologists lead the Curious Case of the Body in the Bog, solving Iron Age mysteries together.

Myth and lore take centre stage with a talk on the Origins of Samhain at Oweynagat, immersive theatre for the whole family in the Púca: Bog of Bewitchment Experience and storytelling from Ireland’s renowned seanchaí at Candlelit Tales. Adults can join a workshop on Celtic Tree Spirits, exploring the connections between humans and the divine, or embark on a Dark Spirits Bog Tour after nightfall – if they dare.

Music and nature also enrich the festival: the Solstice Choir fills Corlea with hauntingly beautiful harmonies, while the Bat Walk with Áine Fenor connects Samhain to the natural rhythms of the bog.

Rooted in community and deeply tied to place, Féile na Samhna offers an unforgettable celebration in Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. As part of Ireland: Home of Halloween, it stands alongside Longford’s Dead of Night Festival and Samhain in the Heartlands at Uisneach in Westmeath – inviting visitors to stay, explore and uncover what lies hidden in the heart of Ireland.

Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council, Cllr Garry Murtagh, said: “Féile na Samhna is a chance for families and visitors to experience something truly special on our doorstep.

"The Corlea Trackway will become a living stage for our oldest stories and traditions. I’d encourage everyone, locals and visitors, to come and be part of this. These events aren’t just entertainment; they’re our heritage made tangible, and they belong to all of us.”