Halloween spirit

Caveman1

Where is the spirit of Halloween gone ? When I was a kid we would start collecting wood for the bonfire about 6 weeks before Halloween, we would be up first thing in the morning and stay out all day, nowadays kids just dont bother the lazy ****s. I havnt seen a decent sized bonfire in about 5 years
Are kids just gone soft now or has Halloween just lost the appeal it once had to kids?

WoollyRedHat

Dey tuk er bonfires!

Fbjm

I'm guessing your area is growing up. If no young families have moved in recently, are you really surprised the whole halloween thing has stopped? You didn't think you were the only one aging, did you?

4leto

Caveman1 wrote: »

Where is the spirit of Halloween gone ? When I was a kid we would start collecting wood for the bonfire about 6 weeks before Halloween, we would be up first thing in the morning and stay out all day, nowadays kids just dont bother the lazy ****s. I havnt seen a decent sized bonfire in about 5 years
Are kids just gone soft now or has Halloween just lost the appeal it once had to kids?

The Fire brigade just put them out it is illegal to have an open fire and rightly so. But in saying that I can see one in the distance.

Its a great night out, which is what I will be doing a few hours from now, can't wait so I am excited.

jaybee747

Kids are all about Health and Safety these days, won't lift a pallet without a manual handling cert.

Back in my day we'd have a truck load of pallets stashed in June for our bonfire.

Yes, I miss a good fire :-(

Spunge

It's political correctness gone mad.

mikom

Caveman1 wrote: »

Where is the spirit of Halloween gone ? When I was a kid we would start collecting wood for the bonfire about 6 weeks before Halloween, we would be up first thing in the morning and stay out all day, nowadays kids just dont bother the lazy ****s. I havnt seen a decent sized bonfire in about 5 years
Are kids just gone soft now or has Halloween just lost the appeal it once had to kids?

Time to move to the country.

4leto

jaybee747 wrote: »

Kids are all about Health and Safety these days, won't lift a pallet without a manual handling cert.

Back in my day we'd have a truck load of pallets stashed in June for our bonfire.

Yes, I miss a good fire :-(

Yeah but the real prestige was how many tyre your bonfire had.

Mickeroo

Bonfires at holloween is an English thing, we don't light bonfires round these parts til June ya hear?? :pac:

Dyr

It's all bollix, my neighbourhood would be awash with massive bonfires when we were kids, we'd be collecting from summer and the older kids and adults were in on it too. It would be like a scene from apocalypse now

There's no space anymore for bonfires but the kids can't be arsed either

Cassidy28

The number of fires seem to be dwindling each year,there are also less fireworks which might be due to people having less money

cournioni

I remember when rotten eggs and urine filled water balloons were all the rage at Halloween. No sign of them these days either...

Saila

thats what happens when the health and safety brigade run the show

The King of Moo

The Halloween spirit is hiding under your bed, waiting to grab your ankle when you least expect it.

But yeah, we used to have great bonfires as a kid, and in fact I never went trick-or-treating. Why would I when I could spend the night very close to lots of fire!

My favourite was when I threw a can of oil onto a fairly meagre fire (don't try this at home). The fire became so big it could be seen by the local older-hard-lads' bonfire which was on way higher ground.

Cue a couple of them coming along with cans of Scrumpy Jack, making 11/12-year old me slightly uneasy. The embers didn't go out till well into the late afternoon on November 1!

Maybe it actually is all down to health and safety though. This morning I saw some guys in high-vis vests removing the parts of a big pile of wood and old furniture in a park on the Howth Road in Dublin.

laoch na mona

i noticed a lack of Halloween tv this year the gardai killed the bonfire thing
that said the lads in the estate up the road from my girlfriends house have a good one built

Caveman1

Ive just come back from my local bonfire, it looks like something we would light on the build up to the real thing, its shocking, nobody even drinking at it :eek:
What is the world coming to:rolleyes:

BluesBerry

My housing estate banned the bonfire because it was damaging the front green :mad: and I'd imagine its the case in a lot of estates around the country it used to be great to get rid of waste fro the shed

Cassidy28

Caveman1 wrote: »

Ive just come back from my local bonfire, it looks like something we would light on the build up to the real thing, its shocking, nobody even drinking at it :eek:
What is the world coming to:rolleyes:

An end

Batsy

Caveman1 wrote: »

Where is the spirit of Halloween gone ?

There are lots of spirits about on halloween. And ghouls, too.

pudzey101

Jesus years ago we would be going round knocking at peoples doors asking have they any timber or stuff they;d like to get rid of and the bonfires would be so big they still be lighting the next morning!:) it might come back into fashion in the next couple of year, never know im much more happier there are no fires though:)

The King of Moo

laoch na mona wrote: »

i noticed a lack of Halloween tv this year the gardai killed the bonfire thing
that said the lads in the estate up the road from my girlfriends house have a good one built

I've noticed this too. It gets worse every year. BBC can be relied upon to show Halloween every year (they did on Saturday) but that's it. UTV had Constantine on Saturday, and Channel 4 are showing the remake of Friday the 13th at some ungodly hour.

Even the movie channels aren't showing any horror films!

I suppose they're more risk-averse than the old days, where you'd get genuinely scary horror films no not-so-late, even when it's not Halloween.

RichT

Mickeroo wrote: »

Bonfires at holloween is an English thing, we don't light bonfires round these parts til June ya hear?? :pac:

Nope. Bonfires are lit on the 5th November for Guy Fawkes night. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

laoch na mona

The King of Moo wrote: »

I've noticed this too. It gets worse every year. BBC can be relied upon to show Halloween every year (they did on Saturday) but that's it. UTV had Constantine on Saturday, and Channel 4 are showing the remake of Friday the 13th at some ungodly hour.

Even the movie channels aren't showing any horror films!

I suppose they're more risk-averse than the old days, where you'd get genuinely scary horror films no not-so-late, even when it's not Halloween.

tg4 had a great thing on all day last year about irish ghost stories
its a tragedy this is:mad:

orchidsrpretty

AA few years ago i had a load of wood in my garden and brought it to the bonfire in my estate. Some old bag reported my reg to the council and i got a 250 fine for littering:0

Batsy

RichT wrote: »

Nope. Bonfires are lit on the 5th November for Guy Fawkes night. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes_Night

It's also common to see bonfires lit on halloween, too. And not just halloween but on several days leading up to Guy Fawkes Night. In fact, for several weeks leading up to Guy Fawkes Night it's also common to hear fireworks going off - even during the day.

But the main event by far is Guy Fawkes Night.

Guy Fawkes Night is great. There's nothing better than attending a local professional bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night (many pubs have them in their car park or adjoining field) and watching a huge fire with a Guy being burnt on top of it (and probably a few hedgehogs who decided to sleep under the bonfire being roasted, too) and eating treacle toffee and black peas in vinegar whilst watching the fireworks display.

And the whole place sounds like WWII. You can't sleep at night because almost continuously you can hear BANG, BANG, whistle, bang, BANG, WHISTLE, bang, bang, , whistle, WHISTLE,bang, KABOOM,bang. It just doesn't stop until well into the night.

And then the next day the air outside smells of gunpowder and burning, the ground is littered with used fireworks and the local newspaper - The Bolton Evening News - loves printing stories about someone who has been maimed after a stray rocket hit them and exploded in their face.

phasers

There's like 4 massive bonfires down the road from me, the kids collect stuff on the day now because the gardaí take all the wood if they collect early.

Patser

The lack of bonfires is all down to the local councils. They realised that what 15 year old kids really, really want is Daffodils!!!! Damn their research departments:mad: :mad:

http://www.sdcc.ie/bulbsnotbonfires/


Mind you there are 2 decent sized blazes going here in West Clondalkin:cool:

im invisible

Batsy wrote: »

It's also common to see bonfires lit on halloween, too. And not just halloween but on several days leading up to Guy Fawkes Night. In fact, for several weeks leading up to Guy Fawkes Night it's also common to hear fireworks going off - even during the day.

But the main event by far is Guy Fawkes Night.

Guy Fawkes Night is great. There's nothing better than attending a local professional bonfire on Guy Fawkes Night (many pubs have them in their car park or adjoining field) and watching a huge fire with a Guy being burnt on top of it (and probably a few hedgehogs who decided to sleep under the bonfire being roasted, too) and eating treacle toffee and black peas in vinegar whilst watching the fireworks display.

And the whole place sounds like WWII. You can't sleep at night because almost continuously you can hear BANG, BANG, whistle, bang, BANG, WHISTLE, bang, bang, , whistle, WHISTLE,bang, KABOOM,bang. It just doesn't stop until well into the night.

And then the next day the air outside smells of gunpowder and burning, the ground is littered with used fireworks and the local newspaper - The Bolton Evening News - loves printing stories about someone who has been maimed after a stray rocket hit them and exploded in their face.

what night is this?

Caveman1

phasers wrote: »

There's like 4 massive bonfires down the road from me, the kids collect stuff on the day now because the gardaí take all the wood if they collect early.

It was the same years ago but you would always get a sound parent that would let you hide your wood out the back garden, gone are the days

Superbus

As still technically a child I'm like the Grinch who stoll Hallowe'en. I've always hated it. Never saw the appeal whatsoever.

Maybe there's loads of others like the me of a few years ago who just plain don't like it. That wasn't my perception though, I always felt left out.

hatrickpatrick

The fact that it was pissing out of the heavens all day today AND yesterday might have put a bit of a dampner on any bonfire plans...

On the other hand, I can hear a steady barrage of Anti Aircraft fire, so it's not a completely lost cause

Stocking Drinks Whiskey

I am not fond of the holiday.

The kids going around asking for candy, while annoying is fair enough, they're enjoying themselves.

However, the older kids? For them it's all about vandalism, throwing eggs at one another and setting fire to things.

The bonfires are a hazard, the majority of them are held near housing estates or even within housing estates, the reason they are not as numerous is because the fire brigades kept putting them out and rightly so.

laoch na mona

Stocking Drinks Whiskey wrote: »

I am not fond of the holiday.

The kids going around asking for candy, while annoying is fair enough, they're enjoying themselves.

However, the older kids? For them it's all about vandalism, throwing eggs at one another and setting fire to things.

The bonfires are a hazard, the majority of them are held near housing estates or even within housing estates, the reason they are not as numerous is because the fire brigades kept putting them out and rightly so.

there called sweets:P

ImpossibleDuck

Bambi wrote: »

It would be like a scene from apocalypse now

Oh yes, yes, the famous wood-collecting scene in Apocalypse Now. :rolleyes:
Marlin Brando at his best. :pac:

irishdub14

Lots of lanterns in the sky, they're drifting into the flightpath to Dublin Airport over my house, that can't be good!

RichieC

parents are hysterical now and don't let their children... i weep for the world of tomorrow... human immune system wont be worth a piss either.

Stocking Drinks Whiskey

laoch na mona wrote: »

there called sweets:P

They're called sweets you mean.

laoch na mona

Stocking Drinks Whiskey wrote: »

They're called sweets you mean.

you win this round

Cantona's Collars

No decent horror movies on Irish tv tonight.The nearest thing is a programme about commuters.

I remember when there always was a great choice of scary movies on at Halloween.

maxfresh

Where im from in north county dublin ,there has been a bonfire for the last 20 years or so ,

last year the kids spent weeks collecting wood for it only to have the council come down and take all the wood after some dogooder complained

Captain Limerick

Where did the bonfires all go?
It makes Hallowe'en less fun you know.
We've gone too PC,
with all this health and safe-ty
And people complaining to Joe.

Crazy Horse 6

I grassed up the local kids bonfire stash to the council litter control department. They came around at 3pm today and took it all away just as the little sh1ts had begun building the bonfire. I've only just stopped laughing.

laoch na mona

^dick

Crazy Horse 6

maxfresh wrote: »

Where im from in north county dublin ,there has been a bonfire for the last 20 years or so ,

last year the kids spent weeks collecting wood for it only to have the council come down and take all the wood after some dogooder complained

Lol that will teach them

laoch na mona

Crazy Horse 6 wrote: »

Lol that will teach them

ya teach that people don't like them not what we should be telling the youths

CrazyRabbit

There's plenty of 'spirit' in Ballyfermot (Dublin 10). A little too much actually.

Multiple stolen cars/vans, 30 street lights busted, lots of small fires, fighting, dozens of Gardai in full riot gear, petrol bombs etc.

LighterGuy

Its quite funny
I have officially realised that Halloween is about people dumping old stuff for 'kids to burn' in the fire.

When driving out of my brothers place tonight I actually saw a mid 30s bloke bringing a wheel barrow of old stuff, which appeared to have old plastic washing containers on the top, over to the bonfire.

longhalloween

Fire Brigade and the guards were on the ball this year regarding bonfires.

Most were dismantled days before Halloween. Only ones I heard of were ones that were actually built today.

Its been quiet all round, not as many fireworks, no trick or treaters or anything this year.
Everyone in my area is getting older though.

username_x

the one around the corner from me has been lighting since half 12 today cause the council came to take the wood & the kids lit it before they got the chance too! i agree though not the same, we'd build the bonfire in a different place every year so they didnt find it, and it'd be huge, not like the ones ive seen today

LighterGuy

longhalloween wrote: »

Fire Brigade and the guards were on the ball this year regarding bonfires.
Most were dismantled days before Halloween. Only ones I heard of were ones that were actually built today.

Its been quiet all round, not as many fireworks, no trick or treaters or anything this year.
Everyone in my area is getting older though.

Actually, that was the local city councils
Every year they assign workers to go out collecting the bonfire material. Its been something they do for decades.

Azureus

Used to love going out collecting for the Halloween bonfire-remember our estate had a war with the neighbouring one and we used to rob eachothers bonfire stuff in the days running up to Halloween. Got to the stage of having shifts of people to protect the bonfire!

When I started getting older I remember it starting to get all about health and safety and the Guards/council would start dismantling it Luckily I was kinda losing interest by then anyway.

Nothing like when we used to create a den in the middle of the bonfire and light up inside with candles and hang out there in the weeks leading up to bonfire night-so dangerous looking back but used to love it!

Also, serious lack of Halloween movies on tv last night! Not even Hocus Pocus!!