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== Etymology ==

== Etymology ==

The word Samhain is derived from Old Irish ''Samain''. The earliest known usage is in the ninth century text ''Felire Oengusso.''<ref name="Morgan">Morgan, Bernard, "[https://www.academia.edu/30803038/The_semantic_shift_of_Samain_from_Summer_to_Winter The semantic shift of Samain from Summer to Winter]".</ref> ''Samain'' is from Proto-Celtic ''*samani'', meaning "assembly."<ref name="etymol">Stokes, Whitley (1907). “Irish etyma.” ''Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.'' 40:245.<br/>Matasović, Ranko, ''Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic'', Brill, 2009. "GOID MIr. ''samain'' (assembly on the) 1st of November [i f]"</ref> In pagan times, the Feast of Tara (''feis Temrach'') met around the time of Samhain.<ref name="Cormac">"[https://sejh.pagesperso-orange.fr/keltia/version-en/echtraCormacB.html The Irish Ordeals, Cormac's Adventure in the Land of Promise, and the Decision as to Cormac's Sword.]," Trans. Whitley Stokes.</ref>

The word Samhain is derived from Old Irish ''Samain''. The earliest known usage is in ''Martyrology of Óengus,'' an ninth century text.<ref name="Morgan">Morgan, Bernard, "[https://www.academia.edu/30803038/The_semantic_shift_of_Samain_from_Summer_to_Winter The semantic shift of Samain from Summer to Winter]".<br/>“Lonán, Colmán, Cronán with their bright sunny following the hosts of Hilarius sure multitudinous ennoble stormy All‐Saints’ day [Samain].” (''Martyrology of Óengus'', ninth century)</ref> ''Samain'' is from Proto-Celtic ''*samani'', meaning "assembly."<ref name="etymol">Stokes, Whitley (1907). “Irish etyma.” ''Zeitschrift für vergleichende Sprachforschung.'' 40:245.<br/>Matasović, Ranko, ''Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic'', Brill, 2009. "GOID MIr. ''samain'' (assembly on the) 1st of November [i f]"</ref> In pagan times, the Feast of Tara (''feis Temrach'') met around the time of Samhain.<ref name="Cormac">"[https://sejh.pagesperso-orange.fr/keltia/version-en/echtraCormacB.html The Irish Ordeals, Cormac's Adventure in the Land of Promise, and the Decision as to Cormac's Sword.]," Trans. Whitley Stokes.</ref>

The medieval tale "The Sick-Bed of Cuchulain" claims that ''Samain'' means "summer's end" (''sam-fuin'').<ref name="Leahy"/><ref name="McBain"/> This derivation is not accepted by modern scholars. The month of May is ''Cétamain'' in Old Irish, cognate with Middle Welsh ''Kintevin''. Both words are derived from ''*kentu-samonyo'', proto-Celtic for beginning of summer. End of summer should be a parallel construction. In Middle Irish, summer reduced to ''sam''. The bards projected usage in their time on to an earlier period.<ref name="etymol"/>

The medieval tale "The Sick-Bed of Cuchulain" claims that ''Samain'' means "summer's end" (''sam-fuin'').<ref name="Leahy"/><ref name="McBain"/> This derivation is not accepted by modern scholars. The month of May is ''Cétamain'' in Old Irish, cognate with Middle Welsh ''Kintevin''. Both words are derived from ''*kentu-samonyo'', proto-Celtic for beginning of summer. End of summer should be a parallel construction. In Middle Irish, summer reduced to ''sam''. The bards projected usage in their time on to an earlier period.<ref name="etymol"/>

== History ==

== History ==

=== The Celtic calendar ===

=== The Celtic calendar ===

November 1 was already linked to Celtic winter before the date became a Christian holiday. It was "the beginning of winter," according to ''Regula Coenobialis of St Columban'', written in AD 540‐615.<ref>“Rule 7: … up to the beginning of winter, that is, the first of November.” ''Regula Coenobialis of St Columban''.<br/>“Lonán, Colmán, Cronán with their bright sunny following the hosts of Hilarius sure multitudinous ennoble stormy All‐Saints’ day [Samain].” ''Martyrology of Óengus'', ninth century)</ref> Pope Gregory III placed All Saint Day on November 1 in 731.

November 1 was "the beginning of winter," according to ''Regula Coenobialis of St Columban'', written in AD 540‐615.<ref>“Rule 7: … up to the beginning of winter, that is, the first of November.” ''Regula Coenobialis of St Columban''.</ref> So the date already linked to Celtic winter before Pope Gregory III established All Saints Day in 731.

''Cormac's Glossary'' gives ''Imbol'' (February 1) as the first day of spring, ''Beltaine'' (May 1) the first day of summer, ''Lugnasad'' (August 1) the first day of fall, and ''Samhain'' (November 1) the first day of winter. This glossary was started by the king-bishop of Munster around AD 900. Some entries were added centuries later.<ref name="Cormac">Beltaine is identified with ''biltine'' (May Day). The entry on November notes that it is the winter month following Samhain: "'''Gamuin''', i.e. in the month of Gam, i.e., after Samuin; whence gamnach, i.e. winter‐engorged teats, i.e., milk milked in the month of winter, i.e. in the season of winter." (''[https://archive.org/details/sanaschormaicco00stokgoog/page/n40/mode/2up Sanas Chormaic. Cormac's glossary]''

''Cormac's Glossary'' gives ''Imbol'' (February 1) as the first day of spring, ''Beltaine'' (May 1) the first day of summer, ''Lugnasad'' (August 1) the first day of fall, and ''Samhain'' (November 1) the first day of winter. This glossary was started by the king-bishop of Munster around AD 900. Some entries were added centuries later.<ref name="Cormac">Beltaine is identified with ''biltine'' (May Day). The entry on November notes that it is the winter month following Samhain: "'''Gamuin''', i.e. in the month of Gam, i.e., after Samuin; whence gamnach, i.e. winter‐engorged teats, i.e., milk milked in the month of winter, i.e. in the season of winter." (''[https://archive.org/details/sanaschormaicco00stokgoog/page/n40/mode/2up Sanas Chormaic. Cormac's glossary]''