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[[File:640px-Coligny-closeup.jpg|thumb|The Coligny calendar is a Celtic calendar found in the French town of Coligny in 1897.]]'''Samhain''', Old Irish ''Samain,'' was a Celtic holiday prominent in Irish mythology. It was observed on November 1. This is also the date of [[All Saints' Day]], a closely associated holiday. Popular history associates Samhain with [[Halloween]], although Halloween is observed on October 31 and arose separately in 18th century Scotland. In modern Gaelic, ''Samhain'' refers to the month of November.<ref>Mark, Colin, ''The Gaelic–English Dictionary'' (2003).</ref>

[[File:640px-Coligny-closeup.jpg|thumb|The Coligny calendar is a Celtic calendar found in the French town of Coligny in 1897.]]'''Samhain''', Old Irish ''Samain,'' was a holiday prominent in Irish mythology. It was observed on November 1, the first day of winter on the Celtic calendar. This is also the date of [[All Saints' Day]], a closely associated holiday. Popular history associates Samhain with [[Halloween]], although Halloween is observed on October 31 and arose separately in 18th century Scotland. In modern Gaelic, ''Samhain'' refers to the month of November.<ref>Mark, Colin, ''The Gaelic–English Dictionary'' (2003).</ref>

The Celtic year was divided into halves by the holidays Samhain and Beltaine (May 1). These dates were once part of a Celtic lunisolar calendar. Even in the earliest surviving accounts, both dates have already transferred to the [[Julian calendar]].

The Celtic year was divided into halves by the holidays Samhain and Beltaine (May 1). These dates were once part of a Celtic lunisolar calendar. Even in the earliest surviving accounts, both dates have already transferred to the [[Julian calendar]].