Ireland
is a rich and rare land full of Myth and Folklore, and there is nothing more
enjoyable in Ireland than the telling of a good story. In the bygone days before
the arrival of electricity and the 'dreaded' television, the nights were passed
with the telling of stories. There was a good storyteller in every town or
village known locally as the 'Seanachi'. He traveled from house to house at
night and all the neighbors would gather round the fireside listening to the
'Sceals' (stories). The tales grew in the telling and the same stories were
heard over and over again but always with a newness and freshness and an ever
differing twist in the plot.
Enchanting Irish tales telling of ancient heroes and heroines, doing incredible deeds of bravery, stories of magical kingdoms and weird and unusual animals, were passed down from generation to generation by the fireside. Stories of fairies and leprechauns, princess and princesses, ghosts and spirits were the bedtime listening of the children. Lots of these legends have now become part of the Irish School Curriculum and the stories and verse I listened to as a child are the same stories my kids are learning in school today.
Here I will share some of them with you.
