Derry Halloween showcased on ITV's This Morning to 900,000 viewers

The segment, which aired on Wednesday, was hosted by celebrity chef Donal Skehan, who travelled along the Awakening Walled City Trail, bringing to life the rich folklore, history, and heritage of the city’s Halloween celebrations.

The segment included spooky stories with Charlene McCrossan from McCrossan Walking Tours, an interview with Jacqueline Whoriskey, the Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, and a special appearance from the city’s very own Winifred the Witch.

Donal explores the origins of Halloween, tracing it back to its beginnings 2,000 years ago in Ireland.

The ITV host said: “The origins of Halloween are here in Ireland, most people don’t know about that.”

During the segment, you can see some staples of Derry Halloween, such as The Awakening of the Walls, The Flying Time Travellers, The Weirdest Musical Contraption and Spark! “These performers are truly dedicated,” said Donal.

In the programme, Donal urged people to come to Derry. “Get over here and see it for yourself, the city is hauntingly beautiful and the craic is legend… Derry.”

Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to work with Donal Skehan, bringing the magic of Derry Halloween to hundreds of thousands of GB viewers on ITV’s This Morning. Halloween is one of the world’s favourite festivals but not everyone knows that it originated on these shores around 2,000 years ago. At Tourism Ireland, we’re excited to invite visitors to experience Halloween where it all started, taking in our world-class festivals, spectacular scenery and warm hospitality.”

A spokesperson for Tourism Ireland said that highlighting the event overseas supports jobs in tourism. Tourism Ireland markets Halloween as an iconic reason to visit in autumn. Its ‘Home of Halloween’ multi-market campaign, celebrating the island of Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween around 2,000 years ago, is under way.

The organisation’s aim is to raise awareness at scale and target consideration and bookings for this autumn, with Derry Halloween (the largest festival of its type in Europe), in particular, adding to the appeal of autumn scenery and heritage.

Watch the first night of Derry Halloween 2024 here: https://www.derryjournal.com/news/people/watch-the-first-night-of-derry-halloween-2024-4843900