The Palace in the rath
This is a Wexford story from Patrick Kennedy’s (1866) collection. It is also found in Brittany. It shows both the helpful and impatient side to the fairies. A rath was an ancient ring fort which, today, is a small circular meadow surrounded by a mound overgrown with bushes. As my intent is just to get […]
An Fear Dearg – the red man
A little man, his impish mischief can be read on his face. His complexion is ruddy and dry. His eyes are twinkling and bright. As the red man he is dressed in vermilion, crimson, scarlet and carmine. They like traditional Irish cooking and are greedy eaters and great drinkers. They are sometimes benevolent, always mischievous, […]
Cluricaunes and Leprechauns
Cluricaune or Leprehaune is the name given to the Irish Puck. The character of this goblin is a compound of that of the Scotch Brownie and the English Robin Goodfellow. He is depicted (for engraved portraits of the Irish Leprehaune are in existence) as a small and withered old man, completed equipped in the costume […]