About this event
From 5pm
Samhain opens the dark half of the year — the Celtic turn of October into November, the ancestor of Halloween and the night the boundary thins.
Martinmas comes eleven days later (11th November) and carries on the same idea: the days get shorter, the nights darker, and people have traditionally made lights to carry into the darkness...
Martinmas is one of the oldest festivals in this part of the world. It originated long ago, with a young Roman soldier named Martin. He was riding through the snow when he met a poor man shivering by the side of the road. He had little to give, so he took his own warm cloak, cut it in two, and wrapped half of it around the man. That same night, he dreamed of him surrounded by light, and of an image of warmth shining wherever people choose to care for one another. That's what Martinmas is made of, when communities celebrate sharing what they have and carry a small light into the darkening months.
'The lantern is like a conscience: what you make out of everything you live through, look after, and carry with you. The role of grown-ups is to never lose this light, to help our children build it for themselves, and step back.'
Meet at 101 Social Club, and head to Dane Park at sunset, singing and carrying the lanterns. Adults will stop at the entrance to the park and watch the children go in alone for a few minutes, just roaming around and following their own lights in the darkness. Then all go back to 101 for tea, cake, hot chocolate and mulled wine.
Celebrating Martinmas in Cliftonville is 101's own small way to slowly reintroduce real festivities that have been forgotten and replaced by highly-marketed shopping events.
Also Lantern Making Workshop: Wednesday 4th November, 4 - 6pm
Paper, card, jars, string, recycled bits and pieces — materials will be available, but you're welcome to bring your own. All ages, all abilities. Come and make one even if you can't come to the walk!
Pay what you want, no one turned away for lack of funds
