Celtic, Irish
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Twenty folk tales representing hundreds of years of the collective Irish imagination transport readers to a world where everything is alive and anything can happen! Vivid descriptions of battles with giants, dead men who come back to life, humans imprisoned in animals' bodies, heroes with incredible strength, and more.
The Celtic Twilight
Best known for his poetry, William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) was also a dedicated exponent of Irish folklore. Yeats took a particular interest in the tales' mythic and magical roots. The Celtic Twilight ventures into the eerie and puckish world of fairies, ghosts, and spirits. «This handful of dreams,» as the author referred to it, first appeared in 1893, and its title refers to the pre-dawn hours, when the Druids performed their rituals. It consists of stories recounted to the poet by his friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. Yeats' faithful transcription of their narratives includes his own visionary experiences, appended to the storytellers' words as a form of commentary.
Celtic Mythology
This classic study by a distinguished scholar recounts the ancient tales of Ireland and Wales. Written in a highly readable style, it will delight neophytes as well as those well versed in Celtic folklore with its lively tales of romance and love, of war and carnage, and of deeds both noble and villainous.Illustrations from rare sources enhance this treasury of lore and its stories of the strife and mythic powers of the gods, their loves and aid to mortals, and of famous heroes, pagans, and Christians of antiquity. John Arnott MacCulloch, a former canon of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and author of several books relating to the Celtic culture, discusses the coexistence of paganism and Christianity and their influences on each other, particularly in regard to the heroic cycles of Cuchulainn, Fionn, and Arthur.
Celtic Myth and Legend
The legends of ancient Britain retain a profound allure for readers around the world, assuring a warm reception for this introduction to the colorful pageant of Celtic myth. Its wondrous tales range from the oft-told deeds of Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table to the less-familiar adventures of the mighty Finn and his Fenians, Ulster's Champions of the Red Branch, and other figures from the Gaelic pantheon. Tracing the exploits of kings and saints back to their earliest origins, the author reveals the pagan roots beneath the medieval Christianity and follows the stories' transformations into the fairy tales of the Victorian age. Minimal use of scholarly notes and a highly accessible style make this reader-friendly volume an ideal steppingstone in the path toward the magic cauldron of Celtic myth.
True Irish Ghost Stories
Poltergeists and banshees, spirit-filled houses, and deathbed scenes pervaded by specters fill this enchanting treasury of tales based on supernatural phenomenon. Compiled from Ireland’s abundant reserve of ghost stories, this richly varied collection of legendary and ancestral phantoms, uncanny forewarnings of death, and a host of other unearthly experiences relies on the memories of ordinary Irish folk scattered throughout the isle.The collection of entertaining tales was the offspring of a newspaper article in which authors St. John D. Seymour, a Church of England priest, and his colleague, Harry L. Neligan, asked contributors to send in their favorite ghost stories, which many happily did. Classified by geographical area, the simple yet compelling narratives—at once disarming, convincing, and illuminating—provide amazing descriptions of paranormal experiences. An entertaining, authentic glimpse of late nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century Ireland and the superstitious natures of its people, True Irish Ghost Stories is a delightful treasury of other-worldly happenings—to be shared by devotees of Irish lore, mystery lovers, and connoisseurs of the paranormal.
Irish Fairy Legends
Come sit by the fire — a world of enchantment awaits you in this treasury of classic Irish stories by folklorist T. Crofton Croker. From 1812 to 1816, he roamed southern Ireland, listening to his countrymen's stories of pixies, leprechauns, and other supernatural creatures. The result is one of the first collections of Irish fairy tales on record — and it's often considered the finest. Told in plain but colorful language with charming illustrations that capture the wonder of these tales, it became an overnight bestseller. An engaging mix of darkness and humor, the thirty-eight stories are filled to the brim with Irish wit and magic. In «The Haunted Cellar,» you'll meet one of Ireland's oldest families, with blood as thick as buttermilk and a reputation for hospitality. But what is the secret in Justin Mac Carthy’s wine cellar that forces every butler to quit? In «The Changeling,» a new mother finds a just solution when her infant is replaced by a mischievous fairy. «The Legend of Knockfierna» teaches fearless Carroll O'Daly a hard lesson about interfering with the «little people.» And that's just a taste of the delights inside. A rich reflection of Celtic culture, Irish Fairy Legends will entertain you and your family for generations.
Celtic Myths and Legends
This splendidly illustrated study by the distinguished Celticist T. W. Rolleston masterfully retells the great Celtic myths and illuminates the world that spawned them. Focusing principally on Irish myths, the book first takes up the history and religion of the Celts, the myths of the Irish invasion and the early Milesian kings.What follows is pure enchantment as you enter the timeless world of heroic tales centered around the Ulster king Conor mac Nessa and the Red Branch Order of chivalry (Ultonian cycle). These are followed by the tales of the Ossianic cycle, which center on the figure of Finn mac Cumhal, whose son Oisín (or Ossian) was a poet and warrior, and the traditional author of most of the tales. Next comes a summary of the Voyage of Maeldūn, a brilliant and curious piece of invention that exemplifies the genre of «wonder-voyages» — adventures purely in the region of romance, out of earthly space and time. Finally, the author recounts a selection of the myths and tales of the Cymry (Welsh).In these pages, readers will delight in the favorite and familiar tales of Cuchulain, King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, the Grail, Deirdre, and many more figures that haunt the shadowy, twilight world of Celtic legend. The magic of that world is further brought to life in more than 50 imaginative full-page illustrations by Stephen Reid, Arthur G. Bell, and the famed illustrator J. C. Leyendecker. Reprinted here in its first paperback edition, Celtic Myths and Legends also includes several helpful genealogical tables: Gods of the House of Dōn, Gods of the House of Llyr, and Arthur and His Kin, as well as a useful glossary.
Celtic Gods and Heroes
Noted French scholar and linguist discusses the gods of the continental Celts, the beginnings of mythology in Ireland, heroes, and the two main categories of Irish deities: mother-goddesses — local, rural spirits of fertility or of war — and chieftain-gods: national deities who are magicians, nurturers, craftsmen, and protectors of the people.