10/31/2025
π
Long before Halloween became what we know today, the Irish carved faces into turnips to ward off wandering spirits. These eerie little lanterns were called Jack oβLanterns, named after an old legend about Stingy Jack, a man doomed to roam the dark night with only a burning coal in a hollowed turnip to light his way.
When Irish people brought the tradition to America, they found pumpkins bigger, softer, and easier to carve, but the soul of the story remained the same.
So while the world celebrates with pumpkins, here in Ireland, we remember where it truly began, with the humble turnip, carved not for decoration, but for protection.