“At Hallow Eve people often scoop out a turnip leaving nothing but the thick skin. In one side two eyes a nose and a mouth are cut out. A lighted candle is placed inside this and the lantern is then placed on a wall or gate.” (Co. Cavan, 1938)
“They also used to get a turnip and scoop out the inside. Then they would put eyes, a nose, and mouth in the turnip to represent a person. Then they would get a lighted candle and put it down in it as the inside would be empty. They would put it up on the fence or on a gate then to frighten the people passing by. They used to call it Jack O’ the lantern.” (Co. Tipperary, 1938)
The two extracts above, both recorded in 1938, as part of the Schools’ Manuscript Collection (www.duchas.ie) tell us that in Ireland, turnips lanterns – known as Jack o’ Lanterns – were traditionally made for Halloween.
Turnips are a tough root vegetable and far more difficult to carve than pumpkins, but they are more traditional and, arguably, more frightening – which is precisely the point!
Because turnips are so dense, carving them requires sharp tools and great care. For safety, adults and children should always work together when making a traditional turnip lantern.
What you need:
- A large turnip (swede)
- A sharp kitchen or paring knife
- A craft knife
- A chopping board
- A strong metal spoon
- A pencil
- A tealight candle (or LED tealight)
