Halloween origins linked more to English and American influences than ancient Irish

Folklorists in the 19th century created a narrative linking the Celtic pagan festival of Samhain, celebrated in Ireland, to the modern Halloween holiday, according to keysnews.com.

However, the Halloween we recognize today has stronger ties to English traditions, a ninth-century pope's influence, and American consumer culture rather than ancient Irish customs, the report explained.

Samhain marked the seasonal transition from summer to winter in ancient Irish agricultural societies, but specific pagan practices from that time remain largely unknown due to scarce historical evidence.

The folklorists John Rhys and James Frazer sought to trace national cultural origins by connecting rural customs and medieval texts, mixing magic, paganism, and harvest festivals, which has influenced popular but outdated views of Halloween's origins.

While the Irish festival Samhain was one of four key seasonal markers, the modern Halloween holiday's development is more complex and influenced by later English and American factors, keysnews.com noted.