In Wales, October 31 is a magical night when ghosts, fairies, and all manner of supernatural creatures may be encountered.
On this special Halloween podcast episode, join Mark Rees ( author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the secret origins of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween.
In the early 1900s a pioneering American author from New England published what is considered to be the first history of Halloween, and by using that as our starting point for the spookiest day of the year we will uncover:
All of these questions and more will be explored in this special Halloween episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast!
Halloween in Wales: 5 special episodesOctober is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the third of five stand-alone specials.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?In Celtic times, each day began at sunset.
October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great foreboding and apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to subscribe to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast which will be focusing on the festival all through October, and check out the book The A-Z of Curious Wales for lots more weird and wonderful facts.
What is the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he explores the weird and wonderful history of Wales.
The world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends, GHOSTS & FOLKLORE OF WALES combines Mark’s research and insights from his books and articles with long-lost tales from some ancient tomes into a truly unique podcast experience.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday, and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to the fantastical beasts from the Mabinogion,
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
EP43 Nasty Little Elves: The secret origin of the ellyllon, Wales' mischievous fairy folk, and a folk tale from Cardiff on the Ghosts and Folklore podcast. These are not your Lord of the Rings elves!
EP42 The Ghost Ship Mystery: Invisible boats dock at the harbour, while phantom funerals are seen in the graveyard at night. What does it mean? The Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast goes exploring!
EP41 Devil Goats: Can a goat really be possessed by an evil entity? In this cautionary folk horror fairy tale, a Welsh farmer finds out the hard way on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP40 The Haunted Highway: A phantom coach and ice-cold apparitions have been haunting a lonely Welsh road for centuries. It's time to go ghost hunting on the Ghosts and Folklore podcast!
EP39 The Magic Power of Leeks: Fight evil spirits with Wales' national vegetable and explore the darker side of St David's Day history and traditions on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP38 Vampires of the Valley and Other Strange Creatures: Witches, dog demons, the Devil, a poison fish and a real-life "Dracula" are lurking in the shadows on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP37 Pesky Poltergeists in Wild Wales: Evil spirits from the "invisible world" attack unsuspecting victims in Wales' oldest "real-life" ghost stories on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP36 Ghosts, Devils and Death Omens; or, A Wild Night by the Romantic Lakes: A haunting (and unromantic!) real-life ghost story for Valentine’s Day on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP35 The Dark Fairy Tale of Rhys and Llewellyn: Have you heard fairy music playing in the woods at night? What would happen if you followed it? Find out on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast!
EP34 Witchcraft by the Sea: In this eerie ghost story of death omens and clairvoyance, a witch's dire prophesy brings tragic news to an unsuspecting young man - Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP33 St Dwynwen, the Welsh patron saint of lovers: The dark history of Wales' patron saint of love, the folklore of Ynys Llanddwyn - the 'Island of Love', and how to celebrate Dydd Santes Dwynwen
EP32 The Murdered Knight: A chilling real-life "Ghosts of Wales" tale in which the spectre of a slain warrior returns to a secluded Welsh farm house and turns a paranormal sceptic into a true believer
EP31 New Year's Folklore of Wales: From the Mari Lwyd to Calennig, it's out with the old and in with the new as Mark Rees explores the history of Welsh folklore on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day
EP30 Curious Christmas Folklore of Wales: Christmas Eve and Day traditions and customs, from kissing under the mistletoe and light-filled Plygain services to Sion Corn (Santa Claus) and the Mari Lwyd
EP29 The Magical Christmas Tree... and a few ghosts!: The curious tale of a tree that blossomed in a west Wales garden every Christmas Eve, and some gothic ghost stories to go with it
EP28 A Ghost Story for Christmas Eve; or, Festive Spirits at the Inn: A real-life tale of paranormal activity at a Welsh town's "most haunted" pub on the Ghosts and Folklore of Wales podcast
EP27 Mari Lwyd, the Welsh Christmas "Ghost Horse": Secret history and folklore of the "bone horse" of Wales, a peculiar custom in which a horse's skull disturbs people late at night for beer and cake
EP26 Ghost Hunting in Wales' "Most Haunted" Places: Paranormal investigators Cymru Paranormal reveal what it's REALLY like to search for the supernatural in some of the spookiest Welsh locations
EP25 The Secret Islands of the Faeries: How the fairies of Wales are connected to King Arthur, why they are called y Tylwyth Teg, and more Welsh folklore about the fair folk who haunted the forests
EP24 The Cursed Room at Wales' National Stadium: How a jinx caused rugby and football teams to lose games at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, and the Welsh artist-turned-exorcist who banished the ghosts
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