Cork's oldest trick-or-treaters preparing for Halloween night 

A GROUP of Cork friends are acting the “ghouls” again as they celebrate their 44th year as Ireland’s oldest trick-or-treaters.

Crossbarry man Con Prout said he is looking forward to trick or treating this year, despite being just a year away from drawing the state pension. 

He will be ed by his best friend John A Murphy from Waterfall who has been trick-or-treating with him from the start. 

Their pals Martin Murphy (Ballincollig) and Katie Duggan (Macroom), were late to the party after ing in the house calls more than a decade ago. 

They followed hot on the heels of John A and Con who began the tradition in their early twenties.

Some confusion and hostility 

They confessed that, during that time, trick or treating had not yet been fully introduced into Cork, leading to confusion and hostility from some of the households they visited.

Con and John A still laugh at the memory of one woman who began chanting decades of the rosary in a bid to banish the “evil spirits”. Another man threatened to phone the Gardaí.

Much has changed over the decades, with some even expressing disappointment if the friends don’t visit on Halloween.

Fans of the fantastic four will be relieved to learn that they have made a U-turn on plans to retire this year.

Con Prout explained: “We had seriously considered retiring this year as I’ll be a pensioner next year. Then I ed that I get the free travel which means that I can trick or treat by bus”.

Wholesome fun

The Cork man said his wife Anne, sons Christopher and Peter and daughter Elizabeth- have been very ive and love to see older people coming to their door to trick-or-treat.

“I take care of the trick-or-treaters here before I go out myself. Some people don’t like seeing teenagers call to their door to trick or treat but we think it’s great. They could be doing drugs or drinking so I don’t see any problem with trick or treating."

He stressed that they have always enjoyed wholesome fun.

“Some people enjoy going to the pub on Halloween but we’d choose “boos” over “booze” any day”. This is like a drug to us. As Halloween drew nearer we knew we wouldn’t be able to retire and I don’t think we ever will."

John A Murphy, who is a year younger than Con, spoke of his excitement ahead of the big night.

“I’ll be trick or treating till I die”, he joked. 

“I’ll probably be trick or treating in Heaven or-God forbid!-the other place. Halloween is so much better than it was before. Years ago, people would play games like apple bobbing in their homes. Now, we are seeing the whole community come together. It’s more of family event than it was before. People enjoy it no matter what age they are and we are bumping into far less cranks and scrooges than we were before. People don’t treat us any differently to any other trick-or-treaters now."