Deep dives into the gods, heroes, monsters, and mysteries of Irish & Celtic mythology & folklore (and adjacent topics)
The legend of Pookas in Irish folklore and mythology is a captivating and enduring aspect of Ireland’s rich cultural heritage. These mischievous creatures have fascinated and frightened generations of storytellers and listeners, reflecting the relationship between humans and the natural world. Through th...
In Irish folklore and mythology, Fionn MacCool was the leader of “The Fianna,” a warrior band. He’s known for being handsome, brave, wise, and generous. Garrett Origin: Irish and German Meaning: Spear strength or rules by the spear Variations/Synonyms: Garret Description: It’s some...
Their origins are still mysterious today, with multiple theories by archaeologists about their purpose. In the past, Irish people used fairy folklore to explain their presence. To them, these monuemnts were simply fairy forts; the places where fairies lived. Where Can I Find Fairies In Ireland?
mythology, especially stories of gods and fairies. The most famous collection is theDindshenchasascribed to Amhairgin mac Amhalgaidh, a poet to King Diarmaid in the 6th century. It describes the naming of more than 200 locations and was an important source for Irish poets, who were ...
Women, from the terrifying to the heroic, were instrumental in ancient Irish mythology. Their strong character and powerful presence has set the...
In folklore, these magic acts qualify as curses because they are malicious, inflict hardship on the victim, and are contingent on extreme circumstances before they can be lifted or, in some cases, are irreversible. In the myths, every country and every town had its peculiar curses. Curses can...
and Scots and Hebridean folklore makes references to ‘Bolcan Smith’. Mad kingSuibne(‘Sweeney’) of Irish folklore eventually settled in ‘Glenn Bolcain’. The ancient settlement ofGovan, now a part of Glasgow’s metropolitan district, appears to be named after him and the official legends ...
One popular belief was that they possessed the ability to abduct a person (often, but not exclusively a child) and replace him or her with an identical looking copy. The name for this new entity was changeling. Its nature varies depending on the particular branch of folklore. Some would say...
and Spenser (e.g., his first published poem, “The Isle of Statues,” inThe Dublin University Review) and drew on Irish folklore and mythology (as in his first full-length collection,The Wanderings of Oisin and Other Poems, 1889). After his family returned to London in 1887, Yeats ...