By Marie Coady
If your tight – fisted neighbours refuse to give you sweets despite how hard you worked on your Halloween costume, don’t sulk. There are spooky things afoot all over Galway – and great craic to be had too. Here are some of the highlights on the cultural boOoOks.
- Galway Aboo Halloween Festival
Ireland’s largest Halloween festival runs from 26 to 29 October with a wide variety of activities on offer. These include ‘The Village Salthill Zombie Chase’ on 27 October in aid of ACT for Meningitus, which will see a pack of sluggish, brainless monsters descend on the Prom and make hassle for unsuspecting humans (so business as usual, then?). The star attraction, the annual Macnas parade, takes place on 28 October at 5:30pm. This year’s theme is ‘Out of the Wild Sky’ and it’s always worth drinking in the surreal spectacles, especially if you’re new to Galway.
- ASAC Halloween: Shampain
SIN contributor Shampain will be setting up shop in the Cellar Bar on Eglington Street on Halloween night with hosts Anti Social Acid Club. The Facebook event description promises “BREAKS TECHNO ACID GRIME RAVE PINTS SWEAT AND SKELLINGTONS,” which encompasses everything you need in life really. 18+ only, doors open at 11 and tickets are €10 at the door.
- Halloween Treats at Pálás
The movie buffs at Pálás cinema have been cultivating a suite of diverse and creepy films throughout October, and it all culminates on 31 October with screenings of the Suspiria remake, the original Evil Dead and a 4K restoration of Donnie Darko. Grab your friends so you have someone to grab onto during the scary parts (or when you are just too overwhelmed by the beauty of young Jake Gyllenhaal).
- Celebrating Samhain, Druid – style
Dressing up as Suicide Squad era Harley Quinn for a night out: tired. Donning a cloak and sacrificing your corn, milk and children to the Fomorians to stave off darkness and blight: wired. 56 Central on Shop Street will be hosting practicing druid and storyteller Eimear Burke on 31 October from 7:30pm. Burke will track the origins of Samhain as the New Year in the Celtic calendar, and how it influenced and morphed into modern day Halloween festivities, as well as explaining how modern day Druids continue to mark Samhain. It promises a nice break from the typical Halloween antics, so check it out!
