Halloween!

My daughter and I are planning our first overseas trip! I've always wanted to see Ireland, so that's our plan! We are both huge Halloween fans and are hoping to make this a super spooky trip! We're looking for Halloween things.. Spooky haunted castles, off the beaten path spooky things to do/see. I've read about the Derry festival and we do want to do that, but we're more interested in super spooky stuff. Any cool things we could see? Thanks! 

Hello Jenna, 

What a great idea to celebrate Halloween here on your first ever overseas trip! The city of Derry-Londonderry is indeed the place for a great Halloween festival, but there's also a lot of spooky stuff to see and do on the island.

Around Halloween you'll find loads of tours and activities with a spooky theme, like a Crumlin road Gaol Halloween Ghost Walk or Paranormal tour, or the 'Dare to Scare' Halloween tour at Wells House and Gardens. You can also visit the most haunted castles on the Emerald Isle to see if the legends are true! 

What else do you have in mind for your trip? Is there anything in particular you'd like to see or do while your here? We're always here if you need some tips! :)

Melin

Hi Jenna,

What a great time to come to Ireland ! The weather is usually fairly settled and the leaves will be turning, there are plenty of Halloween celebrations on. The https://www.bramstokerfestival.com/ will be on in Dublin. There will be plenty on in Meath as Samhain, the ancient festival was born in this area - http://www.discoverboynevalley.ie/whats-on/spirits-meath-halloween-festival-2018
There are plenty of haunted places to stay - Ballygally Castle in Northern Ireland is one of my favourites.
For the time of year that's in it, you could include Glasnevin Cemetary, in Dublin. There is also a Dracula show in Clontarf in Dublin that runs around that time of year. Bram Stoker lived in the Fairview area of Dublin and it is said that he drew inspiration from the area to write  Dracula. 

Sandra.

Dear Jenna,

Good to hear that you are heading to the Derry Halloween Festival, as they put on a fantastic event each year.  A great way to get to Derry from Belfast is via the Causeway Coastal Route (A2), as the views are unforgettable and it's just a great road trip!  To make it even more interesting for Spook-Seekers like yourselves, I would like to suggest a few frightful locations along the way.

Going north on the A2 from Belfast you will come across a seaside village called Ballygally and there, facing the Atlantic Ocean, is Ballygally Castle dating back to 1625.  A tiny room in the turret of the castle is known as "The Ghost Room" and is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in Ulster.

Carrying on along the A2 heading towards the Causeway Coast you will pass the mysterious Vanishing Lake called Loughareena.  Sometimes it is a beautiful sparkling lake and the next a bed of cracked mud.

Going inland towards Armoy, preferably on a dark, misty evening, you can head to The Dark Hedges, a row of ancient beech trees made famous by the TV series Game of Thrones.  If you are lucky you might meet the Grey Lady wafting down the avenue of gnarled trees.

Near Portrush, Dunluce Castle, built in the late middle ages, has seen its fair share of battles and sieges over the centuries.  Clinging to the edge of a precipitous cliff it affords beautiful views up and down the coastline.  During a storm many years ago, the kitchens fell into the sea, hurling the cooks into the waves below.  The ghost of an English sea captain who was hanged at the castle, has been known to walk the turrets at night!

The Giant's Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a world famous geological site.  It is also steeped in myths and legends.

The "Murder Hole Road" from Coleraine to Limavady was the place that Highwayman, Cushy Glen held up unsuspecting victims.  It's worth travelling the hilly road to see if he's still galloping through the moors.

I hope this gives you a few ideas for your Halloween trip.  To find out more about the Causeway Coast and Glens please visit our web site: www.visitcausewaycoastandglens.com 

Kind Regards,

Anne

Hi Jenna, 

I've got another recommendation! A friend of mine went to Fright Night in Magherafelt, County Derry-Londonderry last year, and she said it was truly and absolutely scary. It is like a spooky festival, and she recommended staying the night in one of the glamping pods. I am definitely checking it out this year. :) 

Regards,

Melin

Hello, Jenna!

I hope that all those tips have been useful and interesting for your first trip over here! What did you manage to see and do on Halloween?

It would be great to see any holiday photos, so feel free to share them in this thread.

Have a nice day!