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On this day

October 31

1
Culture

October 31, 1

Samhain, Ancient Celtic Festival

October 31 marks the beginning of Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival with origins in Ireland, celebrated from sunset on October 31st to November 1st. It signified the end of the harvest season and the 'darker half' of the year. The Celts believed the boundary between this world and the Otherworld blurred, allowing spirits to cross. Rituals included bonfires, feasting, and offerings to appease spirits and ensure survival through winter. Samhain is considered a precursor to modern Halloween traditions.

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1920
Battles

October 31, 1920

Start of the Siege of Tralee

The night of October 31, 1920, marked the beginning of a brutal period in Tralee, County Kerry, during the Irish War of Independence. Two Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) officers, Patrick Waters and Ernest Bright, went missing and were subsequently executed by the IRA. In retaliation, the RIC and Black and Tans imposed a severe curfew, burned businesses, and engaged in widespread violence and intimidation, effectively laying siege to the town for a week. This event highlighted the escalating cycle of reprisals and violence.

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1920
Politics

October 31, 1920

Terence MacSwiney's Burial

On October 31, 1920, Terence MacSwiney, the Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork, was buried in Cork city. MacSwiney had died in Brixton Prison, London, after a 74-day hunger strike in protest against his imprisonment by the British authorities during the Irish War of Independence. His death garnered international attention and sympathy for the Irish cause, becoming a significant moment of political martyrdom and further galvanizing nationalist sentiment across Ireland.

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1978
Sports

October 31, 1978

Munster Defeats the All Blacks

In a legendary match at Thomond Park, Munster defeated the touring All Blacks 12-0. This remains one of the most iconic victories in Irish rugby history, as Munster became the first Irish side to beat New Zealand.

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