Ireland is rightly renowned for its folk tales. They are some of the most colourful and intriguing to be heard and the island has built its reputation on them. This is a land filled with Fair Folk, miracles, magical leprechauns and quite a few tall tales as well. For example it’s long been held that the celtic knot appears on the Aran Sweaters but this is sadly not true as they were first produced well after Celtic times. There are still some great examples to look at at Shamrock Gift Aran Sweater.
- Finn MacCool versus Benadonnar. This is a tale of how the Giants Causeway came to be. The two Giants fought to see who was the best but with clever trickier from his wife Finn MacCool fools Benadonnar into thinking he is by far the bigger Giant so that he runs away.
- The Children of Lir. This is a very sad one where, Lir the King of the Sea decides to marry the sister of his wife after his had just died giving him 4 children. His new wife was jealous but, fearing she be being haunted by the Children if she did them in, turned them into Swans and told Lir they had drowned. Mourning them, Lir was amazed to hear one speak and tell him the truth. He banned the new wife and lived by the lake.
- The Harp of Dagda. Once upon a time the people of Ireland were plagued by a tribe of sea monsters called the Formorians. They fought the Formorians but little did they know that a sneak attack by the enemy had seen them steal the Harp. The Formorians took it back to their Castle and feasted. However Dagda and the Irish stormed the first. The Harp would only play for Dagda and at his command it performed a song of sleep and the Formorians have never awoken from it.
