Derry Halloween 2026 | Delving into Divination

Friday 30 October 2026, 6–8pm

For Derry Halloween 2026 the Centre for Contemporary Art Derry~Londonderry invites Community facilitator Cara McLoughlin to host Delving into Divination. Join Cara to experience divination the Irish way, which appears as traditional folk practices at various points of the year and is most prevalent at Samhain or Halloween. 

Cara says, these practices and the reclaiming of this time of the year as Samhain, is connected to the land with its roots in agricultural practice. It is not  something from an urban setting, yet it persists across time. Why is this? What is it about these practices that draws people in? Why are we curious? Are we searching for connection to each other and the land?” In Delving into Divination, we offer a space to learn, to reconnect, to celebrate. This workshop is informed by the host's own personal memories and supplemented with stories and examples from the Dúchas National Folklore Collection available here.

In the Celtic tradition, Samhain is the time of the year when the veil between the worlds is at its thinnest, it is considered the most potent time of year to seek messages from spirits, ancestors, and the unseen realm. In more recent times it became more of a Christian festival where the souls of deceased family and friends were remembered. We will explore the overlap between the two in the ways that Halloween was celebrated, in Ireland over the last hundred years. 

In this workshop you will try out some traditional methods to see what the year ahead could bring. You can have a go at these traditional practices and interpret as you will! Methods such as bobbing for apples, reading tea leaves or choosing a slice of Barmbrack. Your clothes might get dirty and you may find your future is not what you hoped for! 

This event is free, places are limited and booking is essential. It is suitable for adults aged 18 and over. You can book your ticket via CCA's online shop here.