This is a traditional dish for Samhain or Halloween. We hide charms in the colcannon to tell your future for the coming year. Or maybe it was just to get the children to eat their cabbage. Whoever finds the coin will have wealth and riches. The unlucky or lucky one who has the thimble or button is destined of an eternal bachelorhood or spinsterhood. When someone gets the ring, they'll be the next to marry.

If finding charms in your food isn't enough fun, there's a song to go with this dish too.

Did you ever eat Colcannon
When t'was made with yellow cream,
And the kale and the praties blended
Like the picture in a dream?
Did you ever take a forkful
And dip it in the lake
Of heather-flavoured butter
That your mother used to make?

Here's a standard recipe.

3 pounds potatoes
1/2 pound white cabbage or kale, shredded
1 bunch spring onions
1/2 cup milk
salt & pepper to taste
butter

Boil the potatoes until tender; mash.
While potatoes are cooking, cook the cabbage until tender.
Bring the milk to a boil in a small saucepan, then add the scallions, cook until tender.
Combine the milk/scallions with the potatoes.
Stir in the cabbage.
Season to taste.
Top with a butter.
Serves 6