Month: October 2020
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The Water Carrier
The Water Carrier In Ireland, even today, there are so many superstitions, rituals, and traditions in the day to day life of its people. This is especially true when it comes to the passing of dear friends and relatives, their funeral arrangements, and their final interment. These superstitions and traditions might vary slightly from family […]
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Dark Oath
The slow flowing waters of the River Blackwater form the border between the counties of Armagh and Tyrone in Northern Ireland. Along the banks of this river there lived a young man by the name of ‘Dinny’ Hughes, who was known for having a temper that was so terrible that they say the likes of […]
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The Wake
It was a sad day when Tim Scanlan died. All his life he had been a labouring man, working hard in whatever work he could find, and receiving very little in remuneration for the effort he put in. But, Tim was well known and well liked in the district. Everyone agreed that his funeral would […]
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Fairy Man
If we were, we to believe the stories and old wives’ tales handed down to us by our grandmothers we would not be faulted for thinking that, at one time, Ireland was a land controlled by spirits and demons. Ireland is filled with tales concerning witches, warlocks, white ladies, fairies, and leprechauns. It seems that […]
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Anna Grace
At Anna Grace’ door ’twas thus the maidens cried, Three merry maiden fair in kirtles of the green, And Anna laid the rock and the weary wheel aside, The fairest of the four, I ween. They’re glancing through the glimmer of the quiet eve, Away in milky wavings of neck and ancle bare; The heavy-sliding […]
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Satan’s Creation
A Tale of Ireland’s West Coast. Along the west coast of Ireland there are many small fishing villages, and from one of these villages a narrow valley runs back from the sea into the mountains. It is a rugged valley created by two precipices that were torn apart ages ago and, when entering it along the […]
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THE CHRISTENING
A Tale written after an old story idea by Wesley G Lyttle (1844-96) There was a large turf fire blazing upon the broad, pleasant hearth of Matty Carr’s cottage, filling the entire house with its sweet, fragrant scents. In those days, the turf was plentiful on the “Selkie Moss” and it was likely that the […]
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Poteen
A poem by “Barney Maglone” aka Robert Arthur Wilson (1820-75) Of all the navygations That ever left the shore I tell this mortal nation ‘Tis potheen I adore. I have the tender crathur All in her punchy dhress And when she’s mother-naked I love her none the less. If she had but a night-dhress Of […]
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The Irish Fairy Folk
Origins and Existence ORIGINS There is great luxuriance about Irish mythology, filled with Gods, Goddesses, Heroes, Spirits and fantastic creatures of all sorts. This is particularly conspicuous when it comes to the history and characteristics of the ‘Fairy Folk’, more commonly known in Ireland as ‘The Good People.’ As with most mythological characters the origins […]
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Fairy Folklore
Is it True or False The following article is the first part of a series of articles under the same title, which have had some success on Facebook Groups. I hope that you will enjoy these articles just as much. Part One – Introduction The following is an old Irish tale that is told of […]
Ireland's Lore and Tales 