Ghosts and Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees

EP21 Spooky Halloween Folklore and Traditions of Wales: How to celebrate Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween, with Gothic ghost stories and long-lost lore of death omens and witches

Halloween Folklore and Traditions of Wales: How to celebrate Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween
Join cultural adventurer Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) on this journey in search of the curious, dark, and at times macabre history and folklore of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween.
One of three spirit nights, it was a time for fun and festivities, but also a time of apprehension, and to beware the supernatural creatures abroad.
On this episode we will explore:
The Gothic lore involving the wind blowing over the feet of corpses.
The significance of seeing well-dressed apparitions appear in the parish church.
How to celebrate in the traditional Welsh manner with ghost stories and fairy tales around a giant log fire.
The return of the dreaded Hwch Ddu Gwta, the terrifying black sow.
How you can predict who will die in the coming 12 months.
And how to protect yourself from the witches who takes to the skies on Halloween.
All of these questions and more will be explored in this Halloween episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast.
Halloween in Wales: 5 special episodes
October is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the fourth of five stand-alone specials.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?
In Celtic times, each day began at sunset.
October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great foreboding and apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to subscribe to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast which will be focusing on the festival all through October, and check out the book The A-Z of Curious Wales for lots more weird and wonderful facts.
What is the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he explores the weird and wonderful history of Wales.
The world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends, GHOSTS & FOLKLORE OF WALES combines Mark’s research and insights from his books and articles with long-lost tales from some ancient tomes into a truly unique podcast experience.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday, and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to the fantastical beasts from the Mabinogion, 
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

EP20 Halloween in Wales: The secret history and strange traditions of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh All Hallows' Eve, from the bonfires of Druids to ghosts, goblins, witches, fairies and pixies

Halloween in Wales: The secret history of Nos Calan Gaeaf
In Wales, October 31 is a magical night when ghosts, fairies, and all manner of supernatural creatures may be encountered.
On this special Halloween podcast episode, join Mark Rees ( author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the secret origins of Nos Calan Gaeaf, the Welsh Halloween.
In the early 1900s a pioneering American author from New England published what is considered to be the first history of Halloween, and by using that as our starting point for the spookiest day of the year we will uncover:
The role the Welsh Druids played in shaping Halloween.
How witches transformed people into standing stones.
The fairies, pixies and ghosts lurking at the dark crossroads.
The dreaded Hwch Ddu Gwta, a terrifying supernatural pig that chased merrymakers home after the witching hour.
How huge bonfires were lit during harvest festivals long before the arrival of Christianity.
How to predict who will die in the coming year on All Hallows' Eve.
And the really important questions - could young girls really predict who their future husbands by throwing a knife into a field of leeks after dark?
All of these questions and more will be explored in this special Halloween episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast!
Halloween in Wales: 5 special episodes
October is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the third of five stand-alone specials.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?
In Celtic times, each day began at sunset.
October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great foreboding and apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to subscribe to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast which will be focusing on the festival all through October, and check out the book The A-Z of Curious Wales for lots more weird and wonderful facts.
What is the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast?
Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he explores the weird and wonderful history of Wales.
The world’s first podcast dedicated to Welsh ghost stories, folklore, myths and legends, GHOSTS & FOLKLORE OF WALES combines Mark’s research and insights from his books and articles with long-lost tales from some ancient tomes into a truly unique podcast experience.
New episodes are uploaded every Thursday, and feature everything from real-life encounters with pesky poltergeists to the fantastical beasts from the Mabinogion, 
Be sure to subscribe, and for more details and to get in touch with Mark Rees, please visit:
Mark Rees homepage
Mark Rees on social media
Books by Mark Rees
Ghosts of Wales podcast

EP19 The Jack-O'-Lantern of Wales: A Halloween special exploring the most horrible history of a "dreaded ghost" which haunted the dark Welsh forests on Nos Calan Gaeaf

The Welsh jack-o’-lantern is far more terrifying than some carved pumpkin. 
While the image of a grinning orange vegetable might be a modern-day staple of Halloween, in Wales it was traditionally carved from a swede and was known as Jack y Lantern.
This "dreaded ghost" was thought to be a diabolical form of corpse candle that would lure lonely travellers away to a fate worse than death in the dark forests at night, and it could even be working in conjunction with the hobgoblins, fairies, or even the Devil himself.
In this eerie episode of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) recalls a long-lost real-life encounter from the archives in which a "respectable" man encounters a Jack y Lantern one dark lonely night.
In this case he lives to tell the tale, but then he returns to that haunted spot a second time to confirm that his eyes were not deceiving him, and that's when things get even spookier...
Halloween in Wales
October is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the second of five stand-alone specials.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
Nos Calan Gaeaf
In Celtic times, each day began at sunset. October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to listen to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast all through October and check out The A-Z of Curious Wales.

EP18 The History of Halloween: From ancient Celtic festival to American holiday, the origin of jack-o'-lanterns, trick-or-treat & the Welsh Nos Calan Gaeaf in a podcast beaming from Wales to the world

The History of Halloween:
Join Mark Rees (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) for a whirlwind tour through the history of All Hallows' Eve.
From ancient Celtic festivals to modern-day America, this concise journey through the dark past of the spookiest day of the year takes a look at such questions as:
Where did Halloween originate?
What vital role did Christianity play in things?
How did America put its own stamp on the holiday?
Why do we carve pumpkins on October 31st?
Does trick-or-treating have its roots in praying for the souls of the dead?
What does the Welsh harvest festival Nos Calan Gaeaf have to do with Halloween?
And the big question on everyone's lips... how did American housewives host the perfect Halloween party at the turn of the 20th century?
All this and more will be explored in this Halloween special of the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales with Mark Rees podcast!
Halloween in Wales: 5 special episodes
October is the Halloween takeover month on the Ghosts & Folklore of Wales podcast, and this is the first of five stand-alone specials.
While this episode takes a look at the bigger picture of how Halloween is celebrated around the world as well as Wales, subsequent episodes will look more closely at Nos Calan Gaeaf and such traditions as Jack y Lantern, the Welsh jack-o'-lantern, and the dreaded supernatural ghosts and goblins which were abroad ahead of the first day of winter.
For a full list of episodes check out the Halloween Specials podcast page.
What is Nos Calan Gaeaf?
In Celtic times, each day began at sunset.
October 31 - Nos Calan Gaeaf in Welsh, the night before Calan Gaeaf - marked the beginning of winter, and while it was a time for celebration, it was also a time of great foreboding and apprehension.
For more about Nos Calan Gaeaf, be sure to subscribe to the Ghosts & Folklore podcast which will be focusing on the festival all through October, and check out the book The A-Z of Curious Wales for lots more weird and wonderful facts.

EP17 The Devil's Bridge: Did Satan really build a bridge in Wales in exchange for the soul of an old Welsh woman? Find out in the real story behind the folk tale from haunted Wales

Dare you cross the Devil's Bridge?
In this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast, join Mark Rees (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ Paranormal Wales" etc.) for a journey in search of Satan himself who, it is claimed, built a bridge over a great chasm in west Wales in exchange for the soul of an old Welsh widow.
This story is one of Wales' most popular folk tales, and while it might seem a little bit too far-fetched to be true, there's no denying the fact that the Devil's Bridge really does exits in the village of Pontarfynach. In fact, it's not just one bridge but three.
By digging deeper into the origins of this much-loved tale we can attempt to separate the fact from the fiction, and uncover the real secret history behind this most diabolical of spans.
Did the Devil really build a bridge in haunted Wales? Press play to find out more!

EP16 The Ghost Train from the Future: the real-life story of a paranormal locomotive which terrified a Welsh farmer as it hurtled around haunted Wales

In this real-life ghost story, a terrified Welsh farmer is forced to flee from a spectral locomotive as it hurtles around the idyllic landscape. But this was no ordinary ghost train - according to the witness, it was a ghost train from the future.
Join MARK REES (author of "Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales") as he delves into the archives in search of evidence surrounding this extremely rare type of haunting, and asks if a ghostly form really can travel "back to the future".
He also takes a quick look at the at more physical ghost trains to be found in the fun fairs of haunted Wales, or rather the lack of them as the case may be.
Did the farmer really see such paranormal activity in Victorian Carmarthenshire, or was it clairvoyance or second sight at work? Press play to find out more in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast!

EP15 The Dark History of Beer: How a Welsh witch invented mead, the Gothic folklore surrounding funerals, and other macabre traditions from Wales

Did a Welsh witch really invent beer in her magical cauldron? And what macabre part did it play in the funeral traditions of old?
Join MARK REES (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ "Paranormal Wales" etc.) as he goes in search of the often dark and Gothic myths, legends and folklore surrounding the history of beer in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast.
Considered to be the "national drink of Wales", this frothy beverage has connections with the fantastical tale of Ceridwen and Taliesin, played an important role in funeral processions, and by using the correct bits of folk knowledge hangovers could be avoided.
Oh, and did you know that women used to hold secret cheese and beer parties when the men weren't looking? Press play to find out more...
Cheers/ iechyd da!

EP14 The Realm of Faerie: The secret origin of the fairy folk of Wales, and old Welsh beliefs in fairies and folklore

The world is full of magical tales about fairies, but have you ever wondered where they come from?
According to Welsh folklore, the little folk originated in either north Wales or south Wales, and the answer to that question - along with many others - is revealed in this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast with Mark Rees (author of "Ghosts of Wales"/ "Paranormal Wales" etc.).
In the company of a pioneering Victorian writer who travelled from America to Wales and recorded many a fairy tale, join them for a whirlwind tour which looks at old beliefs in the mischievous creatures, and some real-life hiding places where they are said to have dwelt.
This episode is the perfect starting point for anyone with an interest in folklore and fairy tales, and lays the groundwork for many of the fantastical - and occasionally dark - tales to follow.
Do you believe in fairies? Listen to this podcast before making your mind up!

EP13 The Ghost of a Killer; or, The Wraith of a Murderer Stalks Abroad: a real-life Ghosts of Wales story in which a spirit is said to have returned to haunt his former neighbours in Victorian Swansea

Can a murderer return from beyond the grave to haunt their former neighbours?
In this episode of the GHOSTS & FOLKLORE podcast, join your host MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he goes in search of the facts surrounding the "Wraith of a Murderer", a ghost which was said to be haunting his old home in the late Victorian age.
In a tale which combines a real-life long-lost crime with an eerie "most haunted" supernatural story, the events unfolded in 19th century Swansea where witnesses reported seeing the phantom's face, feeling his clammy hands, and in at least one case falling sick with fear as a result.
Was this paranormal activity the work of "The Wraith of a Murderer Stalks Abroad", or was something even more mysterious taking place in the Welsh city?

EP12 The Headless Jesus and other real-life ghost stories from Wales: A special bonus episode of Ghosts & Folklore with Mark Rees for Haunted Happening

Ever hear about the ghost of a headless Jesus who was seen by a man of the cloth charging along a dark Welsh road at night at the helm of a carriage pulled by spectral horses? No? What about the pesky poltergeists which were scaring a married couple in their new home nearby, and even "some holy ladies"?
In this special bonus episode of Ghosts & Folklore of Wales, join MARK REES (author of Ghosts of Wales/ The A-Z of Curious Wales/ Paranormal Wales etc.) as he looks back at three curious real-life ghost stories recorded in the Victorian age by a man from Flintshire.
Bemoaning the lack of contemporary spooky tales, he submitted three of his own to the local press in order to reignite a little interest in the paranormal. Not only is it a fascinating glimpse into the supernatural beliefs of the people at the time, but it has parallels with our modern-day approach to spooks and spectres.
With many people nowadays looking to re-enchant a word which has seemingly lost that spark of magic, could we all learn something from the man who shared ghost stories with his community?
This episode was recorded especially for the Haunted Happening #hauntedhappening event on Twitter and Facebook, and is in addition to the normal weekly episode - two episodes in one week, which means double the ghostly and folkloric fun - cheers / iechyd da!