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Taboo Folklore in the Irish Record: Sex, Death, and Dark Magic
Recently, I read posts from two different people arguing for opposing views of how Irish folklore should be treated. The first person was...


Warding Against Evil and Irish Folk-Magic Protection
Andrew Michael Hurley's novel, The Loney, is a tale of folk-magic and superstition, as well as a dark coming of age story. One of the...


Chysh Khan' - Siberian Santa
'Chysh Khan is said to be a modern incarnation of the mythical image of Yakut Bull of Winter. Chysh Khan’s residence is located at the...


The weird and wonderful world of English Folk Customs
From its abundance of traditional songs, tunes and dances, to its strange but locally revered calendar customs, English communities have...


The Etymology of the saying 'Knock on Wood'
Did you know that the tradition of knocking on wood actually comes from the belief that every tree is inhabited by a spirit known as...


Welsh Folklore: 'Tale of a Welsh Shepherd'
"There was a shepherd near Cwm Llan, who heard some strange noise in a crevice of a rock, and turning to see what it was, found there a...


Blúiríní Béaloidis 33 - Death
In life, there is much which seems uncertain to us. Concerning death however, there can be no doubt. It was an honour to speak with...


A Glimpse Into the Lives of Ireland's Most Notorious Witches
Alice Kyteler First up is Dame Alice Kyteler, who owned the Kyteler Inn, in Kilkenny, where she would lure local businessmen with her...


Ireland's First Witch Burning: Petronilla de Meath
There is a famous Jonathan Swift quote about how the law impacts upon the rich and poor in unequal measure which reads, “Laws are like...


The Death Goddesses of Samhain and Winter.
Summer feels very far away now, and the surrender to the coming winter seems to hold more doubt and uncertainty for many than usual....


Divining the Future at Hallowe’en
The future, in its cloak of fog and mystery, has long been the object of curiosity and worry, urging us to grasp at the unknown and...


Blúiríní Béaloidis Episode 22 - Invisible Worlds (With Eddie Lenihan)
Our lives are built on the stories we tell. At both an individual and a communal level, they orient and mould us, shaping our...


Blúiríní Béaloidis 13 - The Soul In Folk Tradition
The idea of the existence of a soul or life-force which exists independently of the body is of considerable antiquity. In folk tradition,...


Dreaming the Dark: 'Sedna', the Siren and the Selkie (Part 4)
Part 4 of the series on Lilith as 'Sedna', the Siren and the Selkie


Dreaming the Dark: Baba Yaga, Pombagira, Santa Muerte, and Kali (Part 3)
Being Irish, I also went into a little detail about Lilith from the Irish perspective


Blúiríní Béaloidis Episode 27 - The Banshee (with Professor Patricia Lysaght)
The Banshee is a well known supernatural figure in Irish folk tradition. In origin a patron goddess caring for the fortunes of her...


Dreaming the Dark: Lilith, The 'Banshee' (Part 2)
An Irish perspective on shadow consciousness & the psychopomp Art credit: unknown On a winter night, you might hear it – a cry rising...


Dreaming The Dark: Illuminating The Corruption And Destruction of 'Lilith' (Part 1)
Given the time of year and the season that's in it, I'm taking this opportunity to share a four part article I published in 2017 on shadow p


Blúiríní Béaloidis Episode 21 - Samhain / Halloween (With Dr. Billy Mag Fhloinn)
Our lives are built on the stories we tell. At both an individual and a communal level, they orient and mould us, shaping our...
