The many variations on The Tortoise and the Hare Slow and steady wins the race? That depends on which version of the ancient fable you read Folklore • 05 Dec 22
The many variations on The Tortoise and the Hare Slow and steady wins the race? That depends on which version of the ancient fable you read Folklore • 05 Dec 22
The strange world of Irish folk cures and faith healers Many people truly believed in these folk cures, rituals and charms and felt better, perhaps for psychological reasons Folklore • 17 Aug 22
The strange world of Irish folk cures and faith healers Many people truly believed in these folk cures, rituals and charms and felt better, perhaps for psychological reasons Folklore • 17 Aug 22
Does killing spiders bring bad luck? There are many Irish folklore superstitions about spiders and most of them involve not killing them Folklore • 18 Jul
Does killing spiders bring bad luck? There are many Irish folklore superstitions about spiders and most of them involve not killing them Folklore • 18 Jul
How Bealtaine marks the start of summer in Ireland According to the the ancient Celts, summer begins on May 1st and was marked with many celebrations Bealtaine • 03 May 22
How Bealtaine marks the start of summer in Ireland According to the the ancient Celts, summer begins on May 1st and was marked with many celebrations Bealtaine • 03 May 22
Ghosts, haunted houses, spooky pigs and the War of Independence Historians have uncovered many supernatural stories from Ireland's revolutionary years which were previously overlooked Paranormal • 21 Apr 22
Ghosts, haunted houses, spooky pigs and the War of Independence Historians have uncovered many supernatural stories from Ireland's revolutionary years which were previously overlooked Paranormal • 21 Apr 22
5 things about Ireland you may have never heard before Some lessons from ancient folklore and mythology that may have escaped your attention before now st patricks day • 16 Mar 22
5 things about Ireland you may have never heard before Some lessons from ancient folklore and mythology that may have escaped your attention before now st patricks day • 16 Mar 22
Clíodhna: the Cork goddess, banshee and queen of the fairies A rock in Co Cork in closely associated with many legends around Clíodhna and is known as a door to the Otherworld Folklore • 26 Jan 22
Clíodhna: the Cork goddess, banshee and queen of the fairies A rock in Co Cork in closely associated with many legends around Clíodhna and is known as a door to the Otherworld Folklore • 26 Jan 22
Why witches are for life and not just Halloween Now is the time for women to regain and rejoice in the wonders of the cailleach and witchery Folklore • 26 Oct 21
Why witches are for life and not just Halloween Now is the time for women to regain and rejoice in the wonders of the cailleach and witchery Folklore • 26 Oct 21
Why Halloween is celebrated with such spirit in Ireland 'An impulse in Irish tradition is to fearlessly celebrate in the face of unsettling things not fully understood' Halloween • 21 Oct 21
Why Halloween is celebrated with such spirit in Ireland 'An impulse in Irish tradition is to fearlessly celebrate in the face of unsettling things not fully understood' Halloween • 21 Oct 21
Why Brigid's Day should be Ireland's new national holiday It would celebrate Brigid as both Celtic goddess and Christian saint, as well as an Irish woman of strength, resilience and hope Ireland • 11 Oct 21
Why Brigid's Day should be Ireland's new national holiday It would celebrate Brigid as both Celtic goddess and Christian saint, as well as an Irish woman of strength, resilience and hope Ireland • 11 Oct 21
The lost art of 'booleying' in Ireland It was common practice for people in rural Ireland to migrate to the hills for the summer right up to the early 1900s Folklore • 31 Aug 21
The lost art of 'booleying' in Ireland It was common practice for people in rural Ireland to migrate to the hills for the summer right up to the early 1900s Folklore • 31 Aug 21
'Don't kick that skull or the dead will come after you!' There is a fascinating body of Irish folklore and oral history that warns people against interfering with skulls and human remains Folklore • 30 Nov 22
'Don't kick that skull or the dead will come after you!' There is a fascinating body of Irish folklore and oral history that warns people against interfering with skulls and human remains Folklore • 30 Nov 22
One for sorrow, two for joy: why we count magpies As the nursery rhyme suggests, the bird is long associated with superstitions around bad luck, negativity and ill-omens Folklore • 14 Jul 21
One for sorrow, two for joy: why we count magpies As the nursery rhyme suggests, the bird is long associated with superstitions around bad luck, negativity and ill-omens Folklore • 14 Jul 21
Why you shouldn't knock over or replace standing stones Archaeological sites are protected under Irish law and work on a monument must be carried out by qualified persons. Archaeology • 20 Oct 21
Why you shouldn't knock over or replace standing stones Archaeological sites are protected under Irish law and work on a monument must be carried out by qualified persons. Archaeology • 20 Oct 21
Sheela-na-Gigs: Ireland's mysterious medieval genital carvings Why did so many exhibitionist carvings appear on churches, tower houses and town walls in medieval Ireland? Heritage • 09 Mar 21
Sheela-na-Gigs: Ireland's mysterious medieval genital carvings Why did so many exhibitionist carvings appear on churches, tower houses and town walls in medieval Ireland? Heritage • 09 Mar 21
What was behind the Irish grá for garlic as a folk cure? Whenever an epidemic has emerged, garlic has been one of the first preventive and curative remedies to be tried out Folklore • 21 May 20
What was behind the Irish grá for garlic as a folk cure? Whenever an epidemic has emerged, garlic has been one of the first preventive and curative remedies to be tried out Folklore • 21 May 20
Reeling in the years: why 664 AD was a terrible year in Ireland The plague of 664 AD was one of the transformative events of early Irish history and its devastating effects lingered for several years History • 13 May 20
Reeling in the years: why 664 AD was a terrible year in Ireland The plague of 664 AD was one of the transformative events of early Irish history and its devastating effects lingered for several years History • 13 May 20
The evolution of the Irish funeral ritual The many unique customs around death, wakes and funeral rituals in Ireland are now restricted to curb the spread of the coronavirus Funerals • 19 Aug 21
The evolution of the Irish funeral ritual The many unique customs around death, wakes and funeral rituals in Ireland are now restricted to curb the spread of the coronavirus Funerals • 19 Aug 21
Covid-19: when panic, conspiracy theories and quack cures collide As the 1832 "Day of the Straws" demonstrates, Ireland was not immune to fake news and quack cures during previous pandemics Folklore • 19 Aug 21
Covid-19: when panic, conspiracy theories and quack cures collide As the 1832 "Day of the Straws" demonstrates, Ireland was not immune to fake news and quack cures during previous pandemics Folklore • 19 Aug 21
Snails, bacon and prayer: how our ancestors dealt with warts A folklore collection highlights the many folk cures used by Irish people to deal with warts and other ailments Folklore • 09 Mar 20
Snails, bacon and prayer: how our ancestors dealt with warts A folklore collection highlights the many folk cures used by Irish people to deal with warts and other ailments Folklore • 09 Mar 20
How the Celtic festival of Imbolg marks the first day of spring Unlike other Celtic festivals, Imbolg features a key central figure revered in both pagan and Christian times, namely Brigid Folklore • 28 Jan 21
How the Celtic festival of Imbolg marks the first day of spring Unlike other Celtic festivals, Imbolg features a key central figure revered in both pagan and Christian times, namely Brigid Folklore • 28 Jan 21
How our ancestors enjoyed a sustainable Christmas Is it time to recycle some traditions of old to ensure a thoroughly green and climate-friendly Christmas? Folklore • 19 Aug 21
How our ancestors enjoyed a sustainable Christmas Is it time to recycle some traditions of old to ensure a thoroughly green and climate-friendly Christmas? Folklore • 19 Aug 21
The cult of the dead in medieval Ireland Back then, corpses, the dead and eerie graveyards used to play a far more active role in Irish life History • 31 Oct 19
The cult of the dead in medieval Ireland Back then, corpses, the dead and eerie graveyards used to play a far more active role in Irish life History • 31 Oct 19
How the Irish Celts invented Halloween Many of the traits we associate with Halloween can be traced back through the mists of time to Ireland's distant past. Folklore • 31 Oct 19
How the Irish Celts invented Halloween Many of the traits we associate with Halloween can be traced back through the mists of time to Ireland's distant past. Folklore • 31 Oct 19
A guide to Irish Halloween magic spells Here are some magic spells and rituals which were common at Halloween back in the day throughout the country Halloween • 19 Aug 21
A guide to Irish Halloween magic spells Here are some magic spells and rituals which were common at Halloween back in the day throughout the country Halloween • 19 Aug 21
