One of Netflix’s newest series, Bodkin, filmed entirely on location in Ireland and produced by no less than former US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle, centers around the ancient festival of Samhain - putting the spotlight on this old Celtic tradition.

Bodkin blends a true crime thriller with comedy in a seven part series set in beautiful locations around the country. The first scripted show from the Obamas’ production house, Higher Ground, following a $65m deal with the streaming service, the series follows three journalists as they descend on an Irish town still haunted by the disappearance of three locals as they get ready for their Samhain celebrations. Bodkin is the name of the fictional village where the murders occurred and which now holds an annual Samhain festival.

The Irish Times credited the former first couple with good intentions. “In keeping with the thoughtful and socially conscious Obama brand, it sets out to critique our obsession with true crime podcasts and to have fun with Americans and their misty-eyed vision of Ireland.”

But what are the origins of Samhain? It follows on from Lughnasa, a Gaelic festival marking the beginning of the harvest season.

Held on November 1st, Samhain marks the end of the harvest and beginning of winter and is believed to have originated from Celtic pagan traditions. It’s said to mark the day when: “the world of the Gods was believed to be made visible to humankind” and humans believed that the day “allowed for contact with the Otherworld where spirits dwelled and offerings and sacrifices were often made for them”.

Samhain translates to the Irish name for November and featured stories of mythical creatures who would kidnap revellers and steal their souls. Bonfires were held also for villagers to light a torch and bring a part of this communal fire home to light their own hearths in their small homesteads.

Many traditions now associated with modern-day Halloween are directly influenced by the pagan traditions of Samhain and other Irish folklore and this was thought to have been partly connected to the large Irish migration to America in the 1800s. Medieval Christians tried to follow suit by including many of these practices into All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls’ Day on November 2, but many of their practices were actually derived from the pagans.

Trick-or-treating is thought to have been started by the Celts 2,000 years ago, when villagers would dress in costume to drive out evil spirits and children would often visit the homes of wealthy neighbors asking for food and other treats, a practice called “souling.” 

Nowadays pumpkins are associated with Halloween, particularly the carving of them but there is an Irish tale behind that too. Vegetables like turnips were carved into jack-o-lanterns and carried around.

The filming for the Obama’s Bodkin spanned across various counties in Ireland including Cork, Wicklow and Dublin, Bodkin exterior locations include Union Hall Village, Drumadoon Pier, Poulgorm Bridge and Glandore in West Cork; Belmont Demesne, Enniskerry’s Carnegie Library, Sally Gap and Travelahawk Beach in Wicklow; Fenian Street, Howth Village, Howth Castle and Leopardstown Racecourse in Dublin and Dave’s Diner in Julianstown, Co Meath. Tourism Ireland are promoting these locations to potential visitors from around the world in their campaign called ‘Fill your heart with Ireland’.

Lead actor Will Forte who plays American podcaster Gilbert in the series said: “One of the most exciting things about working in Ireland is getting to shoot on location. Most of the time we’re out in these beautiful rolling pastures or on these cliff sides. Every scene seems like it’s taking place in this delicious morsel of Irish landscape.”

In Bodkin, the Samhain festival is shown as a modernized version of the ancient traditions of bonfires and masquerades and this Celtic tradition has now been exposed to a brand new international viewing public.