Halloween is upon us! We’ve put together a list of ancient charms and spells based on this Irish magic. Whether you are seeking a spell for love, luck, or healing, emotional charms, or even potency, these charms and spells will have something for you.

Irish love spell

On the night of a full moon, walk to a spot beneath your beloved's bedroom window. Whisper his/her name three times to the night wind (el alder).

The night breeze is believed to have a guardian who is compassionate toward requests from mortals between midnight and 1 am (the witching hour).

Irish spell to find stolen goods

Place two keys in a sieve, crossways. Two people hold the sieve while another makes a cross sign on the forehead of the suspected thief, calling out their name loudly three times. If the person is innocent, the keys will remain stationary. If the person is guilty, the keys will start to revolve slowly around the sieve.

Irish spell to attract good fortune

You will be damn lucky with this one. You will need a candle, some string, and a trinket.

Light the candle and loop the string in through the trinket and tie it. Then start swinging the trinket above the flame and chant:

“A candle flickers, this trinket I pass, good energy and fortune come to me, wealth, knowledge, influence, energy.

"By good means come to me, wealth, knowledge, influence, energy.

"This trinket I pass into power, to attract to me wealth, knowledge, influence, energy, come to me!”

Repeat this three times, then wear the "necklace" around your neck. The more you do this, the more powerful.

Irish beauty spell

This spell makes you prettier than you think – just follow the instructions.

During a full moon, take a mirror and go outside (if you can't then open a window, make sure the moon is reflected on the mirror), take a piece of a picture of your hair, lips, eyes, or whatever you are interested in changing, and place it on the mirror. While concentrating on it, say, "Moonshine, Starlight, let the wind carry your light, let your glow cover my body, and let your shine cover every eye."

Say it three times and concentrate on the part you want to change. Then say, “Moonshine, Starlight, shape and mold my body, as a rose is granted beauty, let me blossom in your light, the light that brings me beauty, and grant me beauty three times three."

Say it three times and when you are finished light a pink candle or incense.

Irish spell to get someone to call you

Take a piece of parchment or fine-quality writing paper and inscribe the name of the target. Write it in a circle twice, so the ends meet. As you do this, concentrate on the person's face and your desire for them to call you. Then, while still concentrating, put a needle through the center of the circle created by the name. Place the charm on the phone.

The call will come within five minutes, five hours or five days depending on how well the spell was cast and how much willpower was used.

Irish Hair binding / Bond of trust

In ancient Ireland, it was customary for a man to braid a bracelet from his hair and give it to the woman he loved – a gift of trust – knowing what can be done to someone magically if you possess their hair.

The binding is not activated unless she accepts the gift, thus accepting him and agreeing to the spell. This is not a binding that can be imposed on another person without their knowledge.

Irish healing charm for a wound

Close the wound tightly with the two fingers, and repeat these words slowly:

"In the name of Dagda, Bridget, and Diancecht.  The wound was red, the cut was deep, and the flesh was sore; but there will be no more blood, and no more pain, 'till the Gods come down to earth again."

An Irish charm for always having money

Take the feather of a black rooster, go to the crossing points of three fairy-paths, and while holding the feather and a gold-colored coin, call the name of the Goddess Áine three times, to bring you everlasting prosperity.

History facebook
IrishCentral History

Love Irish history? Share your favorite stories with other history buffs in the IrishCentral History Facebook group.

Irish elixir of potency

Two ounces of cochineal, one ounce of gentian root, eight grams of saffron, four grams of snakeroot, four grams of salt of wormwood, and the rind of ten oranges. All of this should be steeped in a quart of brandy and kept for when it is needed.

Irish charm against depression

When a person becomes low, depressed, and careless about everything as if all vital strength and energy has gone, he is said to have got a 'fairy blast,' and blast-water must be poured over him by the hands of a fairy doctor while saying, "In the name of Lugh with his shining sword, who has strength before the gods and stands among them." 

Be careful to ensure that no portion of the water is sullied. Whatever is left over after the procedure must be poured onto the fire.

* Originally published in September 2012, updated in October 2023.