Diarmuid & Grainne, Ireland’s Greatest Love Story
Grainne was the daughter of the High King Cormac MacAirt, her stunning beauty was legendary across the island. Many high ranking nobles and chieftains tried in vain to secure her…
irish mythology
The Dream of Aengus (Aisling Óengus)
Aengus was asleep one night when he saw something like a young girl coming towards the head of his bed, and she was the most beautiful woman in Eriu. He…
Meanings and Origins of Imbolg
Traditionally, Imbolg (or Imbolc) was celebrated on the 1st-2nd February to mark the beginning of Spring and the midway point between the winter solstice and spring equinox in early Gaelic society.…
Irish Mythology: Na Fianna – An Elite Warrior Guild
The Fianna was made up of many battalions called cathas, each with 3,000 warriors. In peaceful times, the main body of the Fianna was made up of three cathas, or…
References to Ogham in An Táin Bó Cúailnge – The Cattle Raid Of Cooley
We find references to Ogham in the Ulster Cycle of Irish Mythology, which recounts the exploits of the famous boy-hero, Setanta, or to give him his heroic name, Cuchullain. In…
From the Ashes: The Role of Culture and Heritage in Irish Transition to Independence
In living memory alone, many countries have experienced drastic changes to its cultural and political constituents, going through a state of transition from one form of government, laws, and ideology to another.…
Irish Fairy Beliefs – The Changeling
The Reverend John O’Hanlon wrote on the topic of the native Irish belief in the fairy-folk in his article titled Fairy Beliefs – Irish Folklore saying they were regarded “by the…
Gaelic Gods and Goddesses | Psychology and Irish Mythology
Are myths just fireside stories? What can they teach us about the past and ourselves today? Join me as we explore some the archetypal symbolic meanings attributed the various Gaelic…
Mná na hÉireann | Women of Ireland in History and Mythology
Were the rights of women really so good in ancient Ireland? You will hear this fact repeated often, but is it true? With a bit of research we find the…
Map of Ireland in the Heroic Times Depicting the Sites of Many Legends
Below you can find the Map of Ireland in the Heroic Times, found in Standish O'Grady's History of Ireland. It visualises the key sites and locations from Irish mythology showing…