EP: 202 Festival of the Dead with Luke Eastwood

Luke Eastwood joins us this week to discuss his book "Samhain: The Roots of Halloween" and the Irish genesis of the holiday. A practicing Druid and founder of the Irish Druid Network, Luke brings a unique perspective on the topic. We discuss how the modern celebration of Halloween is derived from the ancient festival of the dead in Ireland known as Samhain. Eastwood contends it is from Ireland that most of the Halloween traditions we have in the West have been inherited. Delving into the ancient past, our guest this week uncovers the history of this festival in Britain and Ireland, including the forgotten goddess Tlachtga and the sacred temple of the Druids in county Meath, named after her, where the first Halloween fires were originally lit. We discuss how this time of year it is believed the veil is thin, how candles are lit on Samhain to invite in the spirits of the dead, how fairies are real and can be found all over Ireland, and what this festival means to the pagan Irish and Druid class. 

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Guest: https://lukeeastwood.com

Intro song: Dreamkid83

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Music Kyle Monroe: tinytaperoom.com

Aaron Green: https://www.instagram.com/aaronkgreen/

Mastering: ironwingstudios.com

Outro Song: TimeCop1983: timecop1983.com