43. Samhain: Halloween Traditions & Tales

43. Samhain: Halloween Traditions & Tales

Author: The Scottish Folklore Podcast October 29, 2025 Duration: 21:38

The veil is thinning and soon Samhain, the scariest night of the year, will be upon us. But what is it that makes this night, the 31st of October, just so spooky? In this episode Jenny explores the ancient Celtic roots of Samhain, traditional protective rituals, divination games, and tells the tale of a lass who decided to peek behind the veil to find out who her future husband would be. 


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Step into the misty glens and ancient castles of Scotland with The Scottish Folklore Podcast. Your guide, Jenny Johnstone, has a voice made for storytelling, drawing you directly into the heart of each narrative she shares. This isn't just a recitation of old stories; it's an immersion into the landscapes and mindsets that created them. You'll hear tales of selkies shedding their skins on rocky shores, encounters with the otherworldly inhabitants of the sidhe, and the clever exploits of legendary heroes whose names echo through the Highlands. Each episode is a journey to a specific place, uncovering the local lore that has been whispered for generations. The podcast weaves together threads from history, culture, and pure imaginative fiction, revealing how these stories served as both entertainment and a way to explain the mysterious world. It’s about the feeling of a peat fire on a dark night and the sense that magic might just be lingering in the next valley over. By focusing on one tale at a time, Jenny gives each story the space to breathe, allowing listeners to fully appreciate the character, tension, and wonder embedded in these traditional narratives. For anyone curious about the roots of Scottish culture or simply in love with a well-told tale, this podcast offers a direct and captivating connection to a rich oral heritage.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Scottish Folklore Podcast
Podcast Episodes
40. Wild Weddings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
Let’s tie the knot! In this episode Jenny explores some old customs and superstitions surrounding the big day, and tells two tales all about wild weddings in Scottish folklore: The Shepherd Fiddler and The Earl of Mar’s…
39. Caves of Gold: Monsters, Mermaids & Hidden Treasure [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Treasure is said to lie in the depths of many a Scottish cave, and so in this episode Jenny goes in search of gold! On her journey under the earth she visits Shetland, Skye, Thurso, and Arran uncovering tales of viking k…
38. The Goodwife of Auchtermuchty [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:16
Ye-olde gender roles don’t stand a chance in this age-old tale! The Goodwife of Auchtermuchty is a poem that was first written down in the 16th century, but is likely much older, and it tells of a husband and wife mixing…
37. Beautiful Bready Bannocks! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:30
Bannocks are a traditional type of bread that was a staple of the Scottish diet for centuries, and because of this they roll right on through Scottish culture and folklore. In this episode Jenny explores some of the lore…
36. Harvest Time Tales: Greed, Ghosts and Guns [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:08
Harvest time was an incredibly important time of year for the hardworking folk of Scotland, it started on the 1st of August with Lughnasadh or Lammas celebrations, and ran through to Samhain at the end of October.Althoug…
35. Whuppity Stoorie: Scotland’s Cruelest Fairy? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:04
Whuppity Stoorie is a classic Scottish folktale from down in the Debatable Lands, the area around what is now Scotland’s border with England. The tale tells of the Goodwife of Kittlerumpit and her run in with a fairy lik…
34. Loch Assynt: Mermaids, Black Magic, and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:10
Assynt is one of Scotland’s most spectacular spots, but it’s not just the landscape that will take your breath away. The land here is steeped in lore, and the shores of Loch Assynt are not only home to the crumbling ruin…
33. The Shellycoat: Mischievous or Malicious? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:44
As supernatural Scottish creatures go, The Shellycoat is one of the lesser known of the bunch, but don’t let this bothersome Bogle fool you, for although often cited as harmless, as we’ll find out in this episode, The Sh…
32. Deirdire of the Sorrows - Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:18
Jenny is back with Part 2 of Deirdire of the Sorrows, an ancient Gaelic tale that has been told in both Ireland and Scotland for countless years. This half sees Deirdire, Naoise, and his two brothers living as fugitives…
31. Deirdire of the Sorrows - Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:13
This is an ancient Gaelic tale that has been told in both Ireland and Scotland for countless years. In Ireland, the story of Deirdre is part of the Ulster Cycle of mythology, but the version that I am telling comes from…