Spirit of Youghal Events

01/11/2026

Wonderful photo of our ritual fire 😊 🔥

Thank you to all who attended our Witches Ritual on Saturday night. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

Photo credit to Margaret Simkin. Much appreciated 👏

01/11/2026

Thank you so much to all who came to the Spirit of Samhain over the weekend. You made it truly magical and special. See you all next year. 😍

29/10/2026

An Bhean Uisce has returned to her beloved witches for Spirit of Samhain....she has regained her mortal form for a short time by the power and love of the witches...

We celebrate her return home with open arms and welcome her to our circle....see you all over the next few days for Spirit of Samhain 💖✨️

29/10/2026

All very exciting! Almost here 🙌

28/10/2026

27/10/2026

We can't believe it's this Friday that we will be
in Barry’s Lane for "A Tale of Florence Newton" 😱😁 very excited to be bringing this to life.

But we have one very important question to ask you all....are you Team Florence or Team Mary?

Do you believe that Florence bewitched poor Mary which caused her fits and convulsions?

Or are you of the belief that Florence was simply a victim of circumstance and no such bewitching took place?.....

Let us know below ⬇️ and come along on the night to watch the story unfold and cast your vote 🗳

30th October
Barry's Lane
7pm to 8.30pm
Suitable for all ages

Spirit of Samhain
Florence Newton 365 - Youghal
Cork County Council
Doyles chipper
Youghal Credit Union

25/10/2026

It is deeply disturbing that, in this day and age, people still consider burning a witch effigy on a Halloween bonfire acceptable. The persecution and ex*****on of innocent people accused of witchcraft were rooted in fear, superstition and ignorance. To turn this dark chapter of history into entertainment shows a shocking lack of awareness and sensitivity. Halloween should be about fun and community spirit, not glorifying the suffering of innocent people. We should be learning from the ignorance of the past, not recreating it in the present.

25/10/2026

As part of the Florence Newton Museum of Witchcraft, we have created three pieces of original artworks for the museum.

The first is a white dress with excerpts from the original trial transcripts printed onto the dress to recreate the story of her 1661 trial, creating an evoking story through visuals.

The second is a stunning portrait created by a local witch of her vision of what Florence may have looked like.

And our final original atrwork is a song called "A Ballad of Florence Newton", an enchanting storytelling piece written by and sung by our collection of local witches.

The below photos are the concept art for our original pieces of artwork.

But rest assured the real deals are breathtaking.

Call into the museum to see for yourself and immersive yourself in the story of Florence Newton.

Spirit of Samhain
Florence Newton 365 - Youghal

24/10/2026

𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗟'𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗜𝗦 𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗢𝗦𝗧 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗮𝗹'𝘀 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀.

There's something wonderfully fitting about celebrating Halloween in a town with as much history and folklore as Youghal.

This coming Friday, 30th October, and Saturday, 31st October 2026, the Spirit of Samhain festival returns with two days of storytelling, historical discovery, family activities and a gathering of witches on Mall Beach.

Organised by the local volunteers of Spirit of Youghal Events, the festival brings together the town's fascinating past and the traditions associated with Samhain, with a particular focus this year on one of Youghal's most intriguing historical figures, Florence Newton.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗬𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗬 𝗢𝗙 𝗙𝗟𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗧𝗢𝗡

In 1661, Florence Newton stood accused of witchcraft in Youghal. Her case, involving allegations that she had bewitched Mary Langdon and caused the death of David Jones, became part of Ireland's recorded witch-trial history.

What ultimately happened to Florence remains uncertain, with the surviving historical record leaving unanswered questions about her fate.

This year's festival aims to bring her story to a new audience through an exhibition, historical talks, performance, music and storytelling.

The Florence Newton Museum of Witchcraft opens at Youghal Heritage Centre on Tuesday, 27th October, and is scheduled to run until Thursday, 12th November. Admission is free.

Among the exhibits will be a specially created dress featuring words taken from the historical trial transcripts, alongside a portrait inspired by Florence's story.

And there's a particularly lovely local addition this year: an original song, “The Ballad of Florence Newton”, composed by Lesley Bailey and recorded with contributions from local singers and musicians.

The song received its first radio airing during an interview on CRY104FM's Morning Review programme, where festival volunteers spoke about the preparations and the meaning behind the celebrations.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧'𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚?

𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟯𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿

At Youghal Library, local archaeologist Dan Noonan will explore what life in 17th-century Youghal might have been like through the eyes of Florence Newton.

At 2pm, Youghal Heritage Centre will host a special unveiling featuring the Florence Newton dress, portrait and original song.

Then, from 7pm to 8.30pm, Barry's Lane becomes the setting for “A Tale of Florence Newton”, an atmospheric historical storytelling experience bringing elements of her life and trial to the streets of Youghal.

𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟯𝟭𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿

From 12 noon to 3pm, Millennium Park hosts “Once Upon a Samhain”, a Halloween adventure for children, families and anyone young at heart. Costumes are encouraged, and visitors are welcome to bring a picnic and enjoy the fun.

The festival reaches its conclusion on Halloween night with the Witches' Ritual at Mall Beach, from 7pm to 8pm.

Expect music, fire, dance, storytelling and the return of An Bhean Uisce, the mysterious woman of the water from local folklore.

This year's gathering will also include a special remembrance of Shirley, a much-loved member of the group who passed away earlier this year and who contributed to the festival's storytelling and historical work.

𝗔 𝗙𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗩𝗔𝗟 𝗠𝗔𝗗𝗘 𝗜𝗡 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗔𝗟

One of the most appealing things about Spirit of Samhain is that it is very much a home grown celebration.

During their CRY104FM interview, the organisers explained how local volunteers put the festival together themselves, supported by community organisations, sponsors and people willing to give their time.

It is a considerable undertaking, and one that deserves the support of the town.

Whether you're interested in Youghal's history, enjoy a good ghostly tale, have children looking forward to Halloween, or simply want to experience something a little different, there's plenty to look forward to.

So wrap up warm, bring the family, enjoy the atmosphere and support the people keeping Youghal's stories and traditions alive.

For programme updates, follow Spirit of Youghal Events and Spirit of Samhain on social media.

Photo: Mary Mac Photography (archive photograph).

Sources: Spirit of Youghal Events; CRY104FM Morning Review, Tuesday, 20th October 2026.

Article: Kieran McCarthy · Youghal Online