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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 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>

[[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 feast observed in ancient Ireland on November 1. It was both the first day of winter and 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.

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]].

In modern Gaelic, ''Samhain'' refers to the month of November.<ref>Mark, Colin, ''The Gaelic–English Dictionary'' (2003).</ref> Traditionally, it referred to All Saints Day.<ref name="McBain/>

Medieval legends explain that Samhain is the end of summer. This interprets the word as a variation of ''sam-fuin'' (summer's end), a possible but disputed etymology.<ref>MacBain, Alexander, ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language'', Gairm Publications, Glasgow, 1982. "'''samhuinn''', Hallow-tide, Ir. [samhain], E.Ir. [samuin], [samain], [samfhuin]: usually regarded as for [*sam-fuin], "summer-end", from [sam], summer, and [fuin], end, sunset."</ref>

 

Samhain is prominent in Irish folklore, including the Ulster Cycle. These medieval legends explain that Samhain is the end of summer. This interprets the word as a variation of ''sam-fuin'' (summer's end), a possible but disputed etymology.<ref name="McBain>MacBain, Alexander, ''An Etymological Dictionary of the Gaelic Language'', Gairm Publications, Glasgow, 1982. "'''samhuinn''', Hallow-tide, Ir. [samhain], E.Ir. [samuin], [samain], [samfhuin]: usually regarded as for [*sam-fuin], "summer-end", from [sam], summer, and [fuin], end, sunset."</ref>

== Origins ==

== Origins ==