Halloween Halloween Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of Hallows' Even or Hallows' Evening), also known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve, is a celebration observed in several countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Hallows' Day. It begins the three-day observance of Allhallowtide, the time in the liturgical year dedicated to remembering the dead, including saints (hallows), martyrs, and all the faithful departed. It is widely believed that many Halloween traditions originated from ancient Celtic harvest festivals, particularly the Gaelic festival Samhain; that such festivals may have had pagan roots; and that
Priory of All Hallows the English throne. In the Priory he conducted interviews with the Earl of Kildare. In 1489 an Act of Parliament exempted the Priory of All Hallows from any subsidies and taxes, and confirmed the land grants made to All Hallows by Edward IV earlier in the century. As part of the Reformation in Ireland, the Crown dissolved the priory. The chapter, under Walter Hancocke, met for the last time on 16 November 1538, and sent the seal of the house to the Crown. The inmates were expelled from the cloisters, and the prior and other officials granted an annuity of