Welcome Mary Anne , so glad you are here with us today.
An Irish Halloween
Two thousand years ago, the Celtic people of Ireland celebrated the New Year on November 1st. Really? But the night before, October 31st, they celebrated Samhain which has since evolved into Halloween as we know it. They believed ghosts returned to cause trouble and damage crops and could be used to predict the future. There were all kinds of festivals and rituals to honor their ancestors and ward off evil spirits. Just for fun, let’s see if you can guess the ancient Halloween traditions.
1. What did the community do to ward off bad fortune and evil spirits?
A. Carry torches
B. Build a campfire outside each house
C. Build a community bonfire
2) What did the Celts use to light their path at night?
A. Carved out turnip
B. Carved out pumpkin
C. Carved out gourd
3) What did the Celts use to protect themselves from wandering spirits?
A. Necklace of garlic
B. Costumes and disguises
C. A crucifix
4) The Celts believed fairies and goblins collected souls on Halloween. What did the Celts do to get the fairies and goblins to release captive souls?
A. Throw dust from under their feet at the fairies and goblins
B. Throw potatoes at the fairies and goblins
C. Sing hymns
5) What did the Irish eat on Halloween?
A. Potato Pie
B. Colcannon
C. Bangers and Mash
About the author:
Although I was born in Mercedes, Texas, I have lived in Georgia most of my life which has been filled with a variety of experiences. Some were great and some, well let's just say I have learned many lessons the hard way.
I have been married for 35 years to the most practically perfect man. We enjoy traveling and watching mysteries on TV. We have recently adopted a Tuxedo cat named Gertrude. I am an active member of Sisters in Crime Atlanta Chapter, Mystery Writers of America, and I sit on the advisory board of Rockdale Cares, Inc., a non-profit advocacy group for the developmentally challenged.
I began writing in high school but not seriously until 1999. I write traditional mysteries and my biggest influences are Agatha Christie, Anne Perry, Caroline Graham, Elizabeth Peters, and my family. I have had short stories published in Evangel and The Associate Reformed Presbyterian magazines. I have published a collection of eclectic short stories titled, My Favorite Work of Art.
My first manuscript, Useless Beauty, is waiting for me to breathe life into it. It was put on hold because my second manuscript, Brilliant Disguise, was begging to be written. It is the first in the Detective Charlie McClung mysteries. Brilliant Disguise was released on January 21, 2014. The second book, A Good Girl, was released in September 23, 2014. Criminal Kind, the third book in the series was released on June 30, 2015. Sins of My Youth was released on May 27. 2016. I'm currently working on the fifth book in the series, Flirting With Time. There are at least five more to follow in the series.
Find out more about Mary Anne Edwards and her great books by checking out her website:
http://www.maryanneedwards.com/index.html
1. C
ReplyDelete2. A
3. B
4. A
5. B
Thanks for this delightful quiz. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
1. C
ReplyDelete2. A
3. B
4. A
5. B
Informative. Great post. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com
1. Build a community bonfire
ReplyDelete2. Carved out turnip
3. A Crucifix
4. Throw dust from under their feet at
the fairies and goblins
5. Colcannon
diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com
1. C - Build a community bonfire
ReplyDelete2. A - Carved out turnip
3. B - Costumes and disguises
4. A - Throw dust from under their feet at the fairies and goblins
5. B - Colcannon
peggyhyndman(at)att(dot)net