Irish Folklore | Fairies in Ireland | Fairy Tales | Real Faries (2024)

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The Wee Folk of Ireland

The fairies are believed to be the Tuatha de Danann, one of the first tribes to arrive in Ireland, they were magical and secretive people. When warrior tribes like the Milesians began to arrive in Ireland the Tuatha de Danann were defeated in battle but would not be forced to leave.

One of the largest anthologies of Irish Fairy Tales is a compilation by W.B. Yeats. Jeremiah Curtin and William Henry Frost also researched Irish folk tales and authored fairy tale books, which were well received by the public.

In Ireland long ago it was believed that children were sometimes taken by fairies and replaced by a sickly fairy child called a 'Changeling'. But what exactly is the purpose of a fairy changeling? It basically helped explain weak or sickly children.

Celtic fae, the Sidhe, are not small, European fairies, but tall and handsome, much like high elves. They inhabited the six Celtic nations (Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and the Isle of Mann).

In oral stories passed down through generations, fairies were known to be at odds with Christianity. They represented something Pagan, bad, cursed or unknown. The wise women were replaced and the best way then to get your life back to normal after a bad encounter was with the help of a priest.

The High Queen of the Daoine Sidhe (the Irish Fairies) is Una (also spelled Oona, Oonagh, Uonaidh, all pronounced the same - yes, Gaelic is weird).

Explanations for the origins of fairies range from Persian mythology to the folklore of the Brythonic (Bretons, Welsh, Cornish), Gaelic (Irish, Scots, Manx), and Germanic peoples, and from the pages of Middle French medieval romances.

Hawthorn Fairy Tree — Kenmare Stone Circle. In Celtic mythology it is one of the most sacred trees and symbolises love and protection. It is also known as the Fairy Tree, as fairies live under the Hawthorn as its guardians, and so was treated with great respect and care.

1. Fionn Mac Cumhaill and the Giant's Causeway. The legend of the Giants Causeway is one of the most famous Irish folklore stories.

What is this small Irish fairy called? ›

A leprechaun (Irish: lucharachán/leipreachán/luchorpán) is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy.

banshee, (“woman of the fairies”) supernatural being in Irish and other Celtic folklore whose mournful “keening,” or wailing screaming or lamentation, at night was believed to foretell the death of a member of the family of the person who heard the spirit.

A banshee (/ˈbænʃiː/ BAN-shee; Modern Irish bean sí, from Old Irish: ben síde [bʲen ˈʃiːðʲe], "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening.

Leprechaun s (also leprecauns or lepracauns) are figures in Irish folklore who guard hidden treasure. Regarded as small and incredibly agile male fairies or goblins, they most often guard a pot of gold. Leprechauns live solitary lives and can be a source of mischief for the unwary.

The Unseelie Court describes the darkly-inclined fairies. Unlike the Seelie Court, no offense was deemed necessary to bring down their assaults. In Scotland, they were seen as closely allied with witches.

The first tales of fairies date back to Greek mythology, where fairies protected the Earth with vigor and might. In the 1400s, England came up with a new idea of “l*ttle people” who were either nice or evil. This invoked fear in the British, and the average citizen avoided every place that fairies lived.

The fairies of the past were feared as dangerous and powerful beings who were sometimes friendly to humans but could also be cruel or mischievous. Fairy myths are mainly associated with the Celtic cultures of Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall, and Wales.

In Irish mythology and folklore, our warnings about the Fairies are rooted in respect and caution. One of the most prevalent pieces of advice is to avoid disturbing the Sidhe's dwelling places. These include fairy forts, roads, fields, trees, rings, and mounds known as a rath or a lios.