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According to folklore, ''Samain'' is a variation of ''sam-fuin,'' meaning summer's end.<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> This derivation is given in the medieval tale, "The Sick-Bed of Cuchulain." It is not without difficulties. In Proto-Celtic, the beginning of summer is ''*kintu-samīno-.'' So end of summer should be something like ''*dī-wed-o-samīno-.''<ref>''[https://www.wales.ac.uk/Resources/Documents/Research/CelticLanguages/EnglishProtoCelticWordList.pdf English - ProtoCeltic WordList],'' Celtic Lexicon, University of Wales, Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies, 12 June 2002. Summer is ''*samo'' in Proto-Celtic. The Early Irish Wordlist translates ''fuin'' as "sunset" or "burial."</ref>

According to folklore, ''Samain'' is a variation of ''sam-fuin,'' meaning summer's end.<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> This derivation is given in the medieval tale, "The Sick-Bed of Cuchulain." It is not without difficulties. In Proto-Celtic, the beginning of summer is ''*kintu-samīno-.'' So end of summer should be something like ''*dī-wed-o-samīno-.''<ref>''[https://www.wales.ac.uk/Resources/Documents/Research/CelticLanguages/EnglishProtoCelticWordList.pdf English - ProtoCeltic WordList],'' Celtic Lexicon, University of Wales, Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies, 12 June 2002. Summer is ''*samo'' in Proto-Celtic. The Early Irish Wordlist translates ''fuin'' as "sunset" or "burial."</ref>

Whitley Stokes suggested that the word is derived from Proto-Celtic *''samani'', meaning "assembly." The Feis of Tara met occasionally on Samhain to approve laws and taxes.<ref>Stokes, Whitley (1907). "Irish etyma". ''Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.'' 40: 245.</ref>

Celtic scholar Whitley Stokes suggested that the word is derived from Proto-Celtic *''samani'', meaning "assembly."<ref>Stokes, Whitley (1907). "Irish etyma". ''Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.'' 40: 245.</ref> In a fanciful ''History of Ireland'' written in the 17th century, Geoffrey Keating portrayed the Feis of Tara as a primitive national parliament that met around the time of Samhain.

== Origins ==

== Origins ==