I'm always so sad to hear that Irish folklore/mythology isn't really taught/talked about commonly in Ireland besides children's books and whatnot. I'm a huge mythology nerd and I've honestly found Irish folklore absolutely fascinating! It's dark, complex, and just captivating. There are so many cool gods and figures and the stories are epic! Honestly, after living here for a while and actually being able to see the amazing landscape/environment in person, it's no wonder that the ancient peoples were so inspired.
I know that most countries are usually kind of out of touch with their native mythology/folklore but I feel like Ireland has something really special that deserves so much more hype.
EDIT: @shanebtops has shared an AMAZING list of reliable and accurate resources in the comments, please check it out if you'd like to read more on the subject :)
I’ve been doing a thing where I keep finding details of irish fairy folklore that line up with fairies being autistic. Obviously changelings were originally a (very offensive) explanation for where autism comes from. I know it was offensive but sometimes I like to pretend that there’s a magical fairyland I can run away to where everyone’s like me. Plus it’s fun to think about.
Anyway, one detail of Irish fairy folklore I always thought was weird is that fairies won’t bother you if you turn your clothes inside-out (I can’t remember where I heard it. Maybe Wikipedia). I just realized that if fairies are autistic and hypersensitive they might always wear their clothes with the seams on the outside to avoid the stimulation. So seeing someone with their clothes inside-out could make them mistake them for a fellow fairy!
I definitely don’t think this was intentional (I think the idea was probably actually invented by people trying to trick their friends into doing something stupid for no reason) but it’s neat how nicely it works out.
Hi folks, a podcast I listen to is working through the Mabinogion and I thought it might interest some here. It’s called Fireside and the storyteller has dedicated about 20 episodes to it, starting at episode 130.
Anyway, if Welsh mythology is your thing then I hope you enjoy.
Edit: the link I’ve posted doesn’t seem to have them. If you look for it on whatever platform you get your podcasts then you should find it.
Hello, I’m making a short horror creature feature film and want to inspire the “monster” from Irish mythology. I’ve looked into two other more appropriate subs for this but both seem very dead so apologies if this is the wrong place.
I’m particularly looking for something that can appear as human. If anyone has any recommendations or sources I could look further into that would be extremely helpful.
1. " According to the story, Stingy Jack invited the Devil to have a drink with him. True to his name, Stingy Jack didn’t want to pay for his drink, so he convinced the Devil to turn himself into a coin that Jack could use to buy their drinks. Once the Devil did so, Jack decided to keep the money and put it into his pocket next to a silver cross, which prevented the Devil from changing back into his original form.
Jack eventually freed the Devil, under the condition that he would not bother Jack for one year and that, should Jack die, he would not claim his soul. The next year, Jack again tricked the Devil into climbing into a tree to pick a piece of fruit. While he was up in the tree, Jack carved a sign of the cross into the tree’s bark so that the Devil could not come down until the Devil promised Jack not to bother him for ten more years.
Soon after, Jack died. As the legend goes, God would not allow such an unsavory figure into heaven. The Devil, upset by the trick Jack had played on him and keeping his word not to claim his soul, would not allow Jack into hell. He sent Jack off into the dark night with only a burning coal to light his way. Jack put the coal into a carved-out turnip and has been roaming the Earth with ever since. The Irish began to refer to this ghostly figure as “Jack of the Lantern,” and then, simply “Jack O’Lantern. ” "
2. "Stingy Jack, also known as Jack the Smith*,* Drunk Jack*,* Flaky Jack*, and* Jack o' Lantern*, is a mythical character sometimes associated with* All Hallows Eve while also acting as the mascot of the holiday."
Edit*:* Jack's Lament
"Tuatha De Danann" might be an inspiration for our Tinkers.
The reason is that one trait of pookas is supposed to be that they wait for humans to pick their fill of wild blackberries until November, then they spit on the remaining ones which causes them to spoil, and in doing so they claim them as their own.
It made sense to extrapolate on this to say that he is magically unable to eat any food unless it has been rejected by someone else first (or left uneaten for long enough by someone who could’ve eaten it, same difference).
Also that anything biodegradable other than his own body rots instantly when it touches his spit, which means that everything he eats expires as soon as it enters his mouth, if it isn’t already. Fortunately for him, he likes it that way.
He usually gets his food by rifling though trash bins, but sometimes if he sees something he really likes he sneakily gets close and spits on it when nobody is looking. When they look back (or worse, when they take a bite!) they realize that it’s spoiled and just assume it was already like that and they hadn’t noticed, so they throw it away. TECHNICALLY, he didn’t steal it, they rejected it, so it counts as his now.
I know logically if it worked like this then pookas could just spit on blackberries whenever, not just waiting until November, but whatever. It’s funny.
I know it sounds really silly that he’s a self-insert but he’s autistic like I am (though presumably not a picky eater like me, lol). His main special interest is “humans”. Also he’s aromantic and asexual like me as well!
It is said that you leave a little bit of your soul in everything you crochet. So, to avoid this, you should work in a hidden mistake to allow your soul to escape. It seemed magickal to me and wanted to share.
Found this on Pinterest: post
Is there a DVD format box set or can I play the discs in a DVD player? I see the box set has a blue-ray edition, but I personally prefer DVD since only one tv in our house plays blue-ray and it's easier to lend to people since most people I know have only a DVD player.
Wolfwalkers was released during a time when most theaters were closed, and its only other release to date is via Apple TV. On 12/14 GKIDS will release the only planned physical release, a limited edition box set with Cartoon Saloon's two other movies, The Secret of Kells and Song of the Sea.
I know these movies are well loved here, so I figured it was worth spreading the word. If you want this movie on anyone's terms but Apple's, this is your chance.
Exactly what it says on the tin. I want fics that focus in depth on local folklore in the UK. All manner of ghoulish creatures are native to the region, so I'd like to see them explored. Bonus points for stories with a dark, suspenseful tone.
Extra bonus points for stories that either avoid the druids entirely or portray them realistically as opposed to the whitewashed version often seen in modern media. Aurors (especially Harry and Ron) having to stop a resurgence of druids from performing a mass human sacrifice would be amazing.
Im 32 and have being surprisingly ignorant of our celtic past aside from fairy bushes/forts/trees i know very little about our acual beliefs.
I was hoping to go on this journey of learning with my son an daughter its the main reason i asked for book recommendations but i am open to other sources too.
The passage from Freeman reads:
>There was a certain young and beautiful nun who had taken a vow of virginity, but by human weakness had given in to youthful desire and slept with a man. She became pregnant and her womb began to swell. She came to Brigid to seek her forgiveness and help. Drawing on the potent strength of her matchless faith, holy Brigid blessed the young woman so that the fetus disappeared and she became a virgin again.
It's also interesting to note that the story doesn't shame the nun for having an affair. While it's treated as a sin, the nun is motivated by "human weakness" and "youthful desire," rather than being portrayed negatively. Brigid also readily forgives the nun and performs the miracle, making the fetus "disappear." If a venerated saint such as Brigid was said to perform a miracle similar to an abortion, how would women seeking abortions be viewed at the time? Would nuns seeking abortions be treated any differently than other women?
They do such a great job at keeping the art of storytelling alive and they incorporate music into the story that makes the characters come alive! And then they discuss and dissect after telling it. I honestly can't recommend them enough. I shared a link to my favourite story so far Táin Bó Fliadas. Hope it works 🤞
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4vutOB7hEtYNPQJst6KIQX?si=Hu65e2iXRouP71iHb2bgIg&utm_source=copy-link
I’ve been doing a thing where I keep finding details of irish fairy folklore that line up with fairies being autistic. Obviously changelings were originally a (very offensive) explanation for where autism comes from. I know it was offensive but sometimes I like to pretend that there’s a magical fairyland I can run away to where everyone’s like me. Plus it’s fun to think about.
Anyway, one detail of Irish fairy folklore I always thought was weird is that fairies won’t bother you if you turn your clothes inside-out (I can’t remember where I heard it. Maybe Wikipedia). I just realized that if fairies are autistic and hypersensitive they might always wear their clothes with the seams on the outside to avoid the stimulation. So seeing someone with their clothes inside-out could make them mistake them for a fairy!
I definitely don’t think this was intentional (I think the idea was probably actually invented by people trying to trick their friends into doing something stupid for no reason) but it’s neat how nicely it works out.
