And because our family commemorates our Donegal forebears today we stand in remembrance of the Irish Fallen.
And acknowledge Great Uncle Patrick and Great Uncle William’s sacrifice at Ieper.
That we observe the British day of Remembrance on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month is an acknowledgment.
Of the world clock then when the guns fell silent.
What came afterwards in Ireland we all know now but did not then.
A United front
Irish memorial: GTI Battlefields Tour
But recruits either Southern Catholics fighting for Catholic Belgium or Northern Protestants fighting against Catholic Austria battled and died by each others’ side.
The tales of which I discovered for myself along with my Great-Uncle’s gravestone in Flanders.
And for the day that’s in it we’re conjuring up the spirits of the past and celebrating Halloween through the years… and a Derry scare.
When Halloween first exploded in this island of Britain to the frightfest it is now is moot but I probably gave it serious attention around the titular movie.
When big reveal my take away from an underage teen cinema goer was Jamie Lee Curtis’s big reveal.
Every witch way you can: Our little monsters
Back in the Seventies in scary suburban Glasgow in the north of this island nobody came to our doors guising.
And the only nod to All Souls’ Eve was for some reason dunking for apples out of a bowl of water.
It’s been our fortune/misfortune since to meet the day head on as parents when we moved to the home of Halloween, Ireland.
And our little horrors embraced the ghoulish garments and dress-ups.
As if the good citizens of that country haven’t suffered enough.
Modern Derry has dragged itself up through the days of the Troubles launching its Derry Halloween Festival in 1986.
With visitors now more likely to seek out the Derry Girls mural for a selfie, take in the culinary, cultural and musical heritage.
Head north and to Co. Donegal for the dunes, beaches and West Atlantic Way trekking.
Samhain got me started
Street life: Screaming with laughter in Derry
Now for those who didn’t have the advantage of being brought up in an Irish household and had never heard of Samhain, then it is actually the pagan festival.
From which Halloween emerged and transported to America which they then repackaged and sent back to us.
Donal travels along the ‘Awakening the Walled City Trail’, bringing to life the rich folklore, history, and heritage of the city’s Halloween celebrations.
The segment includes spooky stories with Charlene McCrossan from McCrossan Walking Tours.
An interview with Jacqueline Whoriskey, the Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council.
And a special appearance from the city’s very own Winifred the Witch!
Me and my ghoul: With my Scary One
Of course Ireland boasts a frighteningly good ghostie and banshee background with festivals like Macnas, Púca, Bram Stoker and more.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to work with Donal Skehan, bringing the magic of Derry Halloween to hundreds of thousands of GB viewers on ITV’s This Morning.
“Halloween is one of the world’s favourite festivals but not everyone knows that it originated on these shores around 2,000 years ago.”
So that’s Halloween through the years… and a Derry scare.
And we fear for those who come across Daddy’s Little Ghoul among the tens of thousands in the grand old city.
EasyJet flies from British airports to Derry with a sample return flight from £64.98.
You could hear the Crufts dogs from the Earl’s Court tube station before you saw them, so I’ll know what to expect at Ireland’s Best in show.
Every boy pesters his dad for a puppy which he can call his best friend.
But a dalliance with the Shovlins’ Welsh corgi on holiday in Portnoo, Co. Donegal, was the closest I got to a pet.
Up and at ‘em: Dogs love the Expo
Furry friends have come and gone since I set up home with ‘my own little pussycat’ 34 years ago.
The big time: And an Expo heavyweight
Mostly neighbours’ moggies as few could compare with our ‘first-born’ Celtic.
With my little cubs taking to one particular ball of fur, Mr Bojangles, growing up in Ireland.
Expo Factor
Grey day: My ‘own little pussycat’ with her Mum’s kitty Meeshka
Whether long, short-haired, bald, bold or timid every animal deserves to be petted.
And the message at Ireland’s Pet Expo, sponsored by Agria Petinsure, on October 19 and 20, at the National Show Centre, Swords, is to rescue an animal.
And point to the 2,800 dogs dreaming of a new home in rescue centres in Ireland.
With Pet Expo offering a Rescue Dog of the Year Competition.
Of course, every pet expo has at its showcase a Best in Show category which Swords bills as its Pet Expo’s Perfect Pooch category.
Now there is no one breed better than another and you cam celebrate the rich variety of our four-legged friends.
At the Dog Breed Village with over 50 breeds on display.
Now we all love our lap dogs (and you can count human husbands among that number) and cats.
And among the titbits Pet Expo shares about our animals is that cats (and that’ll include sleepover Rufus) is that they’re actually purring because they’re hungry.
The Great Outdoors
Great outdoors: Not just cats and dogs
But we also like to get outdoors with them in their natural environment.
And Pet Expo is celebrating our outdoors animals and a photoshoot with Ace the Unicorn pony.
And alpacas and their experts on show.
This being Ireland there are also obviously sheepdog demonstrations.
Now as it should be kids and animals go free at Pet Expo.
While a value €18 for grown-ups with discounts for students and OAPs is worth shouting about.
Now every pet owner rightfully thinks theirs is unparalleled.
Our favourite tale surrounds a guest of the O’Brien clan who awoke in the night to the sound of a woman wailing.
Out of her window, a pale, red-headed girl floating outside.
The next day, a member of the O’Brien family was found dead.
Not, of course, to put you off visiting the Castle and Folk Park… although maybe not look out of the window.
O’Neill in the coffin
Ruin of you: Shane’s Castle
The Banshees of Shane’s Castle, Co. Antrim: Now those who know their history will know of the Flight of the Earls, well this is the Flight of the Ghouls.
In the early 1800s, Earl O’Neill’s Lough Neagh house party ended in tragedy when he requisitioned the room set aside for the banshee.
Only for her to set it on fire in anger with guests noticing her floating above the flames.
All of which spooky spectres will make you want to keep your wits about you when you visit.
Because the Banshees of Irish-own are always hovering.
And she forced money into my hand to pay for everyone and then apologised to said cousin when they paid our way.
Our shout
On a pedestal: Me and Mum at the Chooky Welly statue
While on the one occasion I was able to treat her, in her adopted city of Glasgow, she couldn’t help herself either.
And when the good people of the Glasgow Tourist board asked for the bill at the end of our meals, her purse would come out.
A lot of head scratching followed before the next lunch or meal and the same scenario played out again… and as for the cost of the hotel.
Teasy’s wide-eyed appetite for life could only be seen to be believed and she wondered in awe that anybody would pay my way to write about their wares.
Of course, Teasy, had the final word at our last supper before we returned her to the Donegal sod last week.
A wee daughter of Donegal picking up the birthday bill still.
