IRISH FAIRYTALES

Irish folktales are magical stories that are imaginative, inspirational, and superstitious. These tales have survived centuries of retelling and interpretations by many, but they still entrance the audience and capture their imagination. There is a definitive style and tone to Irish folktales that appeals to both children and adults.

The Irish peasants left to fend for themselves in a world dominated by a corrupted church, oppressive landlords and an absence of local government and medicine turned to their own imaginations to understand and order the world around them-to make their peasant culture work. Stories like Nera and the Dead Man helped children to remember rules for staying healthy and safe and to maintain sanitation. Images from the ancient tales combined with observations -the wind in the winter forest-the Banshee- helped them to explain natural occurrences.

Although people nowadays tend to think of fairies as gentle little sprites, anyone who has encountered faeries knows they can be tricky, capricious, even dangerous. Our ancestors certainly knew this. Folklore is filled with cautionary tales about the perils of fairy encounters, and in centuries past there were many places where people did not dare to go a-hunting for fear of little men.