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The Secret Fairy-Paths of the Air
In previous posts I wrote about the argument that a person today is so embedded in contemporary life that they have little chance of a...


An insightful description of the Leprechaun
The Leprechauns are merry, industrious, tricksy little sprites, who do all the shoemaker’s work and the tailor’s and the cobblers for the...


A Faerie Horse?
"Long ago there lived in the townland of Doon a man named Harty. He had a farm of land near the Shannon. Every morning Harty used to find...


Welsh folklore; the 'Aderyn y Corph'
Did you know... the 'Aderyn y Corph' is a bird from Wales which chirps at the door of the person who is about to die, and makes a noise...


A February Goddess: Remembering The Little Things
February the 8th, is the Festival of Broken Needles in Shinto and Buddhist traditions. On this day, women will gather up all of the...


Fairies in the grass: A Priest's view of (and method of thwarting) the Faerie
Imbolc marked the transition between the Winter (earth element season) and Spring (air element season). So, as we journey deeper into the...


St Brigid: Dove Among Birds, Vine Among Trees, Sun Among Stars
Starting next year, we’ve been given a new National Holiday! February 1 is celebrated as St Brigid’s Day in Ireland and to honour our...


Blúiríní Béaloidis 18 - Brigid In Folk Tradition
St. Brigid’s Day falls on the first of February, and is traditionally understood as marking the beginning of spring in Irish custom....


Brigid: The Pagan Goddess(es) of Ireland?
Imbolc is a celebration of the returning light and Brigid herself is believed to be an incarnation of a Proto-Indo-European dawn goddess,...


Ancient and Holy Wells of Ireland
The bullán (english: bullaun) you see above is situated in wild commonage on the Trafask townland on the Beara Peninsula. It comes with a...


Tale of a Scottish Brownie
There was a Brownie who lived and worked in the house of Maxwell, Laird of Dalswinton. This Brownie was particularly close to the...


Observation about the nature of Piskies (Pixies)
I always understood the Piskies to be little people. A great deal was said about ghosts in this place. Whether or not Piskies are the...


The Goddesses of January
As we approach Women's Little Christmas on January 6th, or 'Nollaig na mBan' as it is known here in Ireland, it is worth noting that...


Irish Folklore and Traditions of the New Year
Wandering fairies, returning ancestor spirits, and talking animals comprise some of the folklore and old superstitions associated with...


Wren Day - December 26th
Going out on 'The Wran' was a strong tradition that I grew up with in the Mealagh Valley in West Cork. We would all dress up in all sorts...


Shetland folk tradition of Skelling, Skeklers and Guising
'For ‘a coarn o meal, a penny o money, ir a piece o flesh’ a handful of grain, penny of money, or piece of meat.' Any evidence of...


The Amanita Muscaria Elf
The Amanita Muscaria Elf works in the reindeer stalls at the North Pole, feeding them treats, giving them foot baths and physio, calming...


Mistletoe Myth & Lore
From the earliest times mistletoe has been one of the most magical, mysterious, and sacred plants of European folklore. Kissing under the...


The Winter Solstice and the Birth of Sol
We have almost arrived at the winter solstice, the moment when the most northern point of the earth is tilted furthest away from the...


European Winter Solstice costumes; a ritualistic expression of Shapeshifting and Protection
These images of ritual and ceremonies from old indigenous customs in Europe from around the winter solstice, show a time when we were...
