I've just returned from a Hallowe'en party.

This is the night when the souls of the dead are said to return to earth again and it has become the custom to light bonfiresto ward off evil spirits.

In Welsh parts of Wales, this night is known as Nos Galan Gaeaf, the night before the first day of winter, Calan Gaeaf, November 1st.

This evening, we celebrated by eating roast potatoes, three different types of sausages, pizzas, tortillas, salads, trifles, cakes. Welit candles, had a lucky dip and bobbed for apples. There were carved pumpkins and lanterns outside the front door andneighbours dropped by for a drink and a nibble.

During the fifteen hundreds, the poor went knocking at doors on the eve of Hallowmass, offering to pray for the dead in return for food. Shakespeare mentions this in 'The two gentlemen of Verona', whena character is described as 'puling like a beggar at Hallowmass'.

Tonight Idressed in a long black gown (Morticia-ish, I hoped) with apattern of diamonds. It cost 2.50 in a TK Maxx 'Clearance'. Maudie was a cat, Ffion a 'ghostly maid',Kate was a bat,Emma wore a black cocktail dress and lurex tights in plum and silver. The menhad bow ties and Dracula hairdos, but nobody dressed as a blacksmith.

Mygreatgrandfather was the village blacksmith in Croesyceiliog, a cluster of houses two miles outside Carmarthen.

WhatI did not know, until Emma became interested, was that as far back as two thousand years ago blacksmiths were considered magicians and healers. The gift was said to be handed from father to son.

Blacksmiths were skilled at twisting hot metal into spirals and this shape is considered to have magical powers in Wales.Hot metal, dipped into water andheld over skin complaints, was thought to have healing properties.Bathing the skin in the water was beneficial, too, since the waterabsorbed some of the properties of the metal.

Saint Brigid, the Celtic saint of poetry, healing and water is, appropriately, the patron saint of blacksmiths.

Wales's most celebrated blacksmith is David Peterson and we visited hisSt Clears studio a while ago.

His giant dragon graces the Bute Building in Cathays Park, Cardiff. Worth going tothe cityif just to see this imposing sculpture