Every Halloween until 1671, folk from Lewis (the Leòdhasaich) offered a cup of specially-brewed beer to the sea-god Seonaidh (Shoney) in return for lots of washed up seaweed to fertilise crops. The remaining beer fueled an all-night dance party near Eòropaidh.
Unsurprisingly it was the church that spoiled the fun. It took father and son Donald and Kenneth Morrison, ministers, at least 20 years to stop the tradition. The latter always preached with a sword in his belt and his church had two armed guards on Sundays.
