Halloween festivities using apples likely derive from ancient Roman rituals to the goddess Pomona, who's holiday took place around 1 Nov.

Halloween, All Hallows' Eve, is a Christian holiday dedicated to remembering the dead, saints (hallows), martyrs, & the faithful departed.

Samhain survived as a holiday largely because the Irish Church/kings upheld it as important to the life cycle & rites of Gaelic society.

Traditional Irish jack-o'-lanterns are made using turnips - The fire inside represented the souls who would visit the living on Halloween

In medieval Europe, bonfires were lit at Halloween to guide the dead back to heaven, while protecting the living from evil spirits.

Samhain is a night where the Celtic peoples feast their visiting ancestors.

It has nothing to do with Wicca, nor ugly Hollywood ghouls.

The fairy who roam our world on Samhain are not residual pagan deities, but our ancient forebears who lie in the Rath's & tombs of Ireland.

Kevin Barry became the first Volunteer of the Irish Republican Army to be executed by the British after the Easter Rising #OnThisDay in 1920

''It is nothing, to give one's life for Ireland. I'm not the first and maybe I won't be the last. What's my life compared with the cause?” - Kevin Barry

The Púca are shape shifting creatures from Irish folklore. Some tales describe them as bloodthirsty beings, often doing harm to unwary travelers. However on 1st November, the "Púca's Day", it behaved courteously, and delivered sage advice to willing listeners.

A photo of the official handover of the treaty port of Fort Dunree on Lough Swilly from Britain to Irish forces.
3rd October 1938
80 years and a month ago.

On November 1st 1920 George Lennon & the Waterford IRA attacked an RIC barracks in order to lure out a British army convoy into a trap. The ambush was successful & 30 British POWs were taken as well as nearly 30 rifles & an assortment of weapons & ammo.
http://www.waterfordmuseum.ie/exhibit/web

November 3rd 1920: Sean MacEoin & Longford IRA men defend the village of Ballinalee from 11 truck loads of Black and Tans. The fight began at 11pm on the 2nd & the Black and Tans pulled out at 5am. The Irish suffered no casualties.