DeKALB — On Friday, the DeKalb Public Library transformed into a crossroads of history and myth for After-Hours: Samhain, the Celtic Roots of Halloween.
From 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., attendees filled the library’s main lobby, where rows of seats faced a small stage. Conversations buzzed as guests prepared to step back in time and explore the origins of one of the world’s most enduring holidays.
Award-winning singer and songwriter Barry Cloyd took the stage to lead the audience through the ancient Gaelic festival of Samhain (pronounced Sow-wehn), a tradition marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter — the darker half of the year.
Through a captivating blend of music, folklore and storytelling, Cloyd invited listeners to explore the myths, songs and spiritual customs that evolved into modern-day Halloween.
“We are always looking for performers who bring a different culture to the library,” said Samantha Hathaway, who oversees public relations and events at the DeKalb Public Library. “Barry’s programs are what he calls ‘edutainment’ — a mix of education and entertainment that lets people experience history in a fresh way.”
Her colleague Chelsea Racine, who also specializes in public relations and events at the DeKalb Public Library, explained how this event appealed to adults in the community.
“We love hosting events for kids, like trick-or-treating and crafts, but this program gives older kids and adults something rich to connect with, more of the cultural and historical context behind the holiday,” Racine said.
Cloy’s performance was a winding journey through Celtic legends. Between rhythmic guitar passages and haunting ballads, he shared stories of the migrations of the Gaelic people and myths of folkloric characters — the mystical deities Tuatha Dé Danann, the banshee and the trickster Stingy Jack — whose tale gave rise to the jack-o’-lantern.
In Cloyd’s retelling of “Stingy Jack,” his playful tone and facial expressions — especially when he joked that Jack “had a penchant for drink, but not for coin,” added warmth to an eerie tale of a doomed wanderer condemned to roam the night with a burning coal inside a hollowed-out turnip — an image that drew both laughter and a few shifts in seats among the audience.
Out of roughly 50 attendees, quite a few elderly guests were immersed in the music, nodding along to the rhythm, tapping their feet and quietly swaying in their seats.
Cloyd’s storytelling, accompanied by lively fingerpicking and a booming stage voice, created a spellbinding atmosphere of wonder and anticipation.
“This is one of my favorite times of year,” Cloyd said early in the evening. “When the veil between worlds grows thin, we get to reconnect with where these stories came from.”
For many, the performance offered more than entertainment. It was a bridge between folklore and community. Longtime DeKalb residents, Grace, David and Kathy Sharp attended together and praised the show.
“I thought he was a fantastic storyteller,” Grace Sharp said. “Very engaging, very talented on the guitar, and I love folk music. This was right up my alley.”
Her mother, Kathy Sharp mentioned the atmosphere the library created.
“It was informative and atmospheric. The library does such a wonderful job blending music, history and storytelling.”
Before the final song, Cloyd reflected on his travels and the enduring beauty of seasonal traditions around the world, from Samhain in Ireland to Día de los Muertos in Mexico.
“History is still with us,” he said. “And it’s worth celebrating that connection, inviting the past into the present.”
The evening closed with applause, cheers and the faint echo of folk refrains lingering in the library’s vaulted main hall.
“All our programs are free and open to everyone. You don’t need a library card to come,” Hathaway said.
Cloyd will return to the DeKalb Public Library in November for a performance of “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh,” based on the true story of the Civil War’s only surviving drummer boy — a continuation of the library’s dedication to preserving history through live art.
For those who missed the Samhain event, you can still experience Cloyd’s music — he welcomed the audience to find him on Spotify.
As the doors closed on another after-hours evening, one thing was certain: In DeKalb, the spirit of storytelling and the magic of the season is alive and well.
