h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I've often seen Samhain referred to as Celtic or Pagan but as far as I can see it was just an Irish term. Can anyone confirm this?

In Welsh (there are celts other than the Irish!) the day is 'Calangaeaf' or 'Winter's Eve'.

As far as I know, Samhain (pronounced Saw-wain) was from the gaelic sam fuin meaning "end of summer". So in effect it is just an Irish word used for a pagan festival. In the same way that the word Easter is thought to come from Scandanavian Ostra, or Teutonic Ostern or Eastre and used for a Christian festival.

End of Summer? In a good year Summer can last to the end of September - an 'Indian Summer/Haf Bach Mihangel'. But surely the end of October is much too late in the year?

Things like this intrigue me. It may be that the translation 'summer' is not quite accurate, that the day has moved over time or even that the weather has changed over the millenia. Do you know anything about this?

The Celts observed only two seasons of the year: summer and winter. Which would match your "Winter's Eve".
But you are right that the Autumn Equinox is usually the 23rd (ish) September, and it is celebrated in it's own right.

Samhain is Irish Gaelic for the month of November. Samhuin is Scottish Gaelic for All Hallows, November 1st.

So really, I am now totally confused myself about it.

Don't be confused!

Winter's Eve and Summer's End are the same thing if you're not bothered about Autumn. Yearly divisons have varied greatly throughout history and so it's not odd that there is this difference. After all, Halloween occurs in October. For historical reasons it is now the Tenth month although 'Octo' means Eight - explain that to the ancient Celts!.

In days gone by Hallowe'en marked the end of one year and the beginning of another. All Hallows day was when the farm land was divided up between the people.