Are you ready to be spooked?
Samhain (the Irish origins of Halloween and Celtic New Year) is the most strange and spine-chilling day of the year. It was believed on Samhain eve that the old year dies at sunset, while the new year begins at sunrise, rendering the space in-between free from the bonds of time and convention and subject to the desires of otherworldly spirits.
This Samhain, join me for a deliciously spooky feast! For the menu I’ve taken inspiration from the abundance of ingredients associated with this liminal time - which is also considered the third and final harvest festival of the Celtic year.
Expect caramelised turnip, sticky bonfire sausages, melt-in-your-mouth pumpkin, woody rosemary & sage, slow-cooked pork, spicy cinnamon, sharp apples, flame-toasted marshmallow and so much more. A perfect time of year to cook and feast!
We will start the evening with a nod to Practical Magic’s Midnight Margaritas and a return of my favourite autumn treat - home made pretzels! This will be followed by three courses of warming delights and. as I chat through the dishes, I’ll be sharing some of the folklore of this mysterious and magical time of year.
Come with empty bellies and opens minds - prepared for all the magic this time of year can offer.
This dinner will be hosted in the beautiful Mother of the Woods Retreat. Located between Saintfield and Lisburn this is a gorgeous Georgian house and retreat centre owned and run by Essential Nature Yoga.
Samhain: The Last Harvest Supper Club
Thursday 29th and Friday 30th October 2026
On arrival:
Practical Magic Midnight Margaritas
Homemade pretzels with a honey mustard dip
Bonfire cocktail sausages & turnip
To start:
Jack-O-Lantern's Pumpkin & ricotta dumplings with sage butter, sour cream and chilli sauce
The main event:
Slow-cooked pork belly with apples, fennel & sauerkraut
Cauliflower cheese pie with Hegarty’s cheddar
Honey roasted parsnip & turnip on freekeh with kale crisps
Confit leeks with lemon mascarpone and hazelnut & thyme crumb
Red cabbage, beetroot and date salad
For pudding:
Bonfire S’mores - Cinnamon and dark chocolate cookies, cinnamon ice cream & toasted marshmallow
The drinks: This event is BYO. Please bring a bottle (or more) of your favourite tipple. A welcome drink will be provided on arrival
The time: 7pm on Thursday 29th or Friday 30th October 2026. If you are planning on booking a taxi or organising a lift we’d suggest organising that for 10.30pm.
The place: Mother of the Woods Retreat, 31 Back Road, Cargacreevy, Lisburn , BT27 6TR (please see the event confirmation email for full details on how to find the venue - but DO NOT go to the Back Road in Drumbo)
The cost: £60 per person (includes booking fees), for a three-course menu plus a few extras!
Dress Code: As spooky as you like! Dressing up is not mandatory but is very much encouraged! This dinner will be hosted in the dining spaces inside at Mother of the Woods which will be cosy . If the weather is amenable we may light the fire pit at the end of the evening so make sure to bring plenty of extra layers, to keep you cosy.
Seating: You will be seated with other guests. If you are not comfortable sitting with other people then please do not book tickets as unfortunately, we do not have the capacity to seat groups separately.
Dietary Requirements: This menu is suitable for vegetarians. Unfortunately for this event we can’t cater for gluten free, dairy free of vegan guests. If you have another dietary requirement please let us know when booking and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
Cancellation Policy: We have recently updated our cancellation policy and we now charge an administrative fee for cancellations up to one week in advance of the event. If you cancel less than one week before the event we cannot offer a refund unless we can resell your tickets. All tickets are transferable if you can find another guest to come in your place. For full details of our cancellation policy please click here.
