Irish Myths and Legends

Cailleach, the Queen of Winter

One of the most famous deities of Irish mythology. Cailleach, known as the Queen of Winter, controlled the weather and the winds across Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. She decided the length of a winter and its harshness.

She had unique titles depending on her region of worship – she was known as an Chailleach Bhéara (The Hag of Beara) in County Cork for example. She was a creator deity who was able to control storms, thunder and floods. Her opposite was Brigid, who controlled the summer. Samhain (31 October) marked the period where the Celtic year ends and winter begins – signifying the return of Cailleach. T

here are several locations around the island associated with this goddess of the cold, such as Hag’s Head at the Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, and the Hag’s Chair at Slieve na Calliagh in County Meath.

Dearg-due, the female vampire

Ireland’s mythology is full of tales of heroes, kings, queens and gods. But there are some beings of Irish myth, that aren’t so heroic. As All Hallows' Eve approaches, it’s the perfect time to talk about some of the scarier creatures of Irish lore…

Did you know there were vampires in Irish tales of old? They weren't just dreamed up by Bram Stoker – Dearg-due was a female vampire who, in Celtic legend, would rise from the grave once a year, to have bloody revenge on those that wronged her in life. It’s said that to prevent her from rising, you had to place stones over the grave, which would hold her at bay for one year.

There was also a headless horseman in Irish myth. The Dullahan would ride on horseback across the countryside, the horse's eyes glowing with flames, and if it called your name you would die! The only way to stop the creature was its one weakness: gold.

Probably the most famous figure of Irish myth was the banshee. This wraith could appear as a young maiden or an old woman, but its appearance meant that death was near. For when you heard the blood-chilling wail from the banshee it meant that someone was going to die…

Caílte MacRónain, the fastest man in Ireland.

Everybody loves a superhero. And when it comes to heroics, Ireland's heroes could well be up there with stars of DC and Marvel...

One such hero was Caílte MacRónain, who was known as the fastest man in Ireland. A nephew of Fionn mac Cumhaill, he was able to speed around the island in a matter of moments, and had the ability to communicate with animals.

He appears in several tales that involved heroic deeds, including battling werewolves and defeating an evil crone (woman) in a race. In his later years, he even encountered St Patrick!

His most famous deed came when Fionn was captured by the high king of Ireland for causing offence. Caílte asked what the king wanted to free his leader but the king’s debt seemed impossible: he wanted two of each animal on the island brought to him. Caílte did the impossible and gathered each animal and the king was forced to release Fionn.

Bealtaine

May is an important time in Irish myth and folklore, because, like Samhain in October, it is a moment of transition between the seasons. At this time, the influence from the otherworld is at its strongest.

The May festival, Bealtaine (which means May in Irish), was traditionally focused on protecting the cattle and farm from otherworldly forces. It was also a time when the fairies, or Sídhe, were most active.

A particular fear in the month of May was that roving witches would steal the household’s butter. At the time, milk and butter were critical staples of every home so their loss was devastating. In one story, the witches would head out in the morning, before the sun rose, carrying a rope that they’d use to summon each family's butter to them.

It was believed that one witch was able to shapeshift and could transform into a hare. If this hare was spotted in the farmer's field, then the cows would mysteriously stop giving milk. Farmers would patrol their fields trying to hunt the creature, but it was impervious to normal human weapons – the only way to banish it was with a shot from a silver sixpence!

So keep your eyes peeled for any curious hare that you see this May, it might not be what it seems… 

Hey there! Would anyone be willing to do an audio recording of any of there stories for an art project I'm currently working on?

Im an Irish artist currently putting together a sound piece which is collecting and preserving stories from around Ireland; these could be bits of folklore, the knowledge of Gaeliege, stories about Faires or places special to those characters, stories about the land and places that you know, or little bits of Irish knowledge/mythology passed down to you by family members.

I'm looking to collect as many as possible and play these at important historical Irish sites.If you have any stories or know of family members who love to spin a yarn, please get in contact with me. The audio can be recorded on any smartphone in a quiet room; I will send you a list of questions asking you about the story and how it makes you feel and then tell it. For example,

I've already had contributions about Irish saints meditating in freezing lakes, a story about a great wave and its Gaelic name of the north coast to name just two.

I think this will be a special project, and It is my mission to share and preserve these tales as they have a very poetic kind of thinking that deserves to be recorded
I will be donating these recordings to Irish Archives after the project is completed. 

If you're interested in contributing or have any more questions, please message me. Please share this around to people you may know who might have a story they wish to share.

I could do with the help!Buíochas! Karl