Scarecrow trail and spooky tales at Mayo's National Museum this Halloween

THE National Museum of Ireland at Turlough Park, Castlebar, has unveiled a frightfully good programme of events for all of the family to enjoy over the Halloween midterm break.

Activities include a scarecrow trail through the woods, some spooky storytelling sessions, and guided tours about superstitions and Samhain traditions.

The scarecrow trail is based on the legend of 'Jack of the Lantern' - a mean and stingy blacksmith who inspired the Irish tradition of carving turnip lanterns at Halloween. The popular pumpkin Jack O'Lanterns are an American development of this idea.

Families are invited to pick up a map at museum reception to find 'Scarecrow Jack' hiding in the woods and enter a competition at reception for a spooktacular Halloween hamper of goodies.

The scarecrow trail is developed in partnership with Mayo Artsquad and is available from Saturday, October 26, to Sunday, November 3. No booking is required for this self-guided activity.

Other Halloween activities over the midterm break include mask making workshops with artist Carmel Balfe on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27. Booking is required for the mask making workshops as spaces are limited. Email BookingsCountryLife@museum.ie.

The workshops explore the tradition of mask making and homemade masks in the Irish Folklife Collection. A selection of these Halloween masks, dating to the 1940s and '50s, will also come out of storage and go on public display over the Halloween holidays.

There are free guided tours taking place at 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, October 26 and 27, exploring superstitions and Samhain customs.

There is a self-guided indoor trail running throughout the midterm break in the main museum building. Young visitors can pick up an activity sheet at museum reception and use the clues to find a series of scary objects 'hiding' throughout the galleries.

Storyteller Fiona Dowling is at the museum on Sunday and Monday, October 27 and 28, to deliver some interactive performances for children aged five years plus (must be accompanied by an adult). No booking is required. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Visitors are also invited to have a go at making their own Halloween inspired crafts to take home at the Halloween craft station in the Education Rooms in the main museum building.

For further details about Halloween activities and events, visit www.museum.ie/country-life.