10 Irish legends full of mythology and folklore

Ireland is a country with a millenary mythology. Let's take a look at some of its most outstanding legends.

Irish legends are characterized by a mystical and symbolic content of the Celtic culture.. Their main characters are usually magical, divine or mythological beings with supernatural powers, who coexist with humans in different ways. The legends take place in forests and lakes, but also in worlds beyond human experience.

We will see in this text 10 of the most popular Irish legends, as well as their contents linked to the mythology of this island.

The 10 most popular Irish legends

Legends and myths are a fundamental part of Irish culture. They allow us to know the magic of its forests and castles, as well as the fantastic beings that have inspired cinema and literature. Moreover, they are important narratives to understand the past and present of this attractive country, are important narratives to understand the past and present of this attractive country.. The following list gathers 10 typical legends of Ireland.

1. Osin of Tirnanoge

In Irish mythology, Tir na nÓg or Tirnanoge is an island where time seems to stand still at times. Its name means "Land of Youth" and it is the place where the tribe of the gods (the Tuatha Dé Danann) lived after leaving Ireland. It is said that it is an almost inaccessible island.It is only possible to reach it after a long walk, or at the invitation of a fairy.

It has been described as a beautiful place where there is no disease and where monks and heroes of different times have arrived. One of them was Osi, son of the mythical warrior Fionn Mac Cumhaill, who was invited by Niamh Chinn Óir. They say that Osín spent three years in Tir na nög and, when he returned to Ireland on horseback, he found that his hair and skin were suddenly old: three hundred years had passed since his departure. He was found by St. Patrick, to whom he told of his adventures in the Land of youth.

2. The conversion of Macaldus

It is said that some bandits wanted to play a joke on St. Patrick. One of them, named Macaldus, pretended to be dead and the others ask the saint to revive him, without success. When they try to revive Macaldus, the bandits realize that he was really dead. At that moment they run after St. Patrick to ask him, this time seriously, to resurrect him.

The saint decides to help them, but he also imposes a punishment on them: He wraps Macaldus in padlocked chains, throws the key into the sea, and sends him off in a lonely boat.. Eventually, the boat arrives at the port of Man, where the villagers rescue Macaldus. While on the island, the bandit is trained to become a priest, and on the day of the ordination, one of the cooks arrives with a key he has just found inside a fish. With pleasure, Macaldus recognizes that it is the key that will finally free him from his chains.

3. Hag's Head

Near the Burren region in Ireland, there are the Cliffs of Moher, a place famous for its castles, caves and mythology. In these cliffs there is a group of rocks arranged in a peculiar way. It is a a rock formation that seems to be the face of a person looking out to sea..

They say it is the head of the old witch Mal, who fell in love with Cu Chulainn (Irish hero). After chasing him through Irish forests and castles, one fine day Cú Chulainn jumped off the cliff. Mal does the same, but is unsuccessful: he crashes against the cliff and his head is forever etched in the rocks.

4. The fire festivities

They say that in the county of Westmeath, in the town of Uisneach, are the gateway to the underworld. It is the place where kings and queens are buried. Surrounded by a lake, on the top of a hill, this locality is the site of a festival known as the "fire festival". It is said that the life of Lugh, the sun god, ended in this place. However, he continued to exist in the form of a comment that he appears every May in the same area. For the same reason, in the celebrations of the fire, dances, music and fire are dedicated to him as a sign of offering..

5. The ghost of Malahide

Near Dublin there is a castle called Malahide. Legend has it that in this enclosure wanders the spirit of a man named Anthony. In life, he was the man in charge of protecting the daughter of Richard Talbot, an Irish earl of the 15th century. One night, the Earl's daughter suffered a stroke, for which the court unjustly blamed Anthony. Despite not having been at the scene of the assault, the man was sentenced to hang. It is said that from that day onwards, Anthony appears in and around the castleseeking forgiveness and justice for his case.

6. The Hill of Tara

The Hill of Tara is the prehistoric enclosure of the tribe of the Irish gods (Tuatha Dé Danaan). These gods were able to control sunlight and were direct descendants of the creator gods. Over time, historians and archaeologists have studied what lies beneath this temple.

Among other things, an oval monument more than 100 meters wide has been discovered inside the hill of Tara. Surrounding the structure, as if it were a crown, are 300 holes, each 2 meters wide. This suggests that at one time there were 300 columns around the hill, and not only that, but also that there were 300 columns around the hill.Not only that, but in the subsoil of the hill there must be treasures to be discovered.

7. Oweynagat, the Cave of the Cats

In the county of Roscommon it is famous for the rocky chains that surround it. Historically, this place is recognized as part of the capital of the kingdom of Connacht, a place that housed characters of the Ulster Cycle, such as Queen Maeve and Ailiill of Connacht. It is said that one of the caves, called Oweynagat or cave of the cats, was used as a connecting door between the world of humans and that of the gods.. It is also said that some destructive creatures have entered the earth through this door.

8. The leprechauns

The leprechauns are mythological and tiny beings, with green suits and red beards. In fact, the word "leprechaun" has its origin in Irish terminology to refer to a "small body". More than a legend, this is one of the most representative characters of Irish culture. It is said that they have a bad character and that in the past they were inhabitants of Ireland (it is believed that they were the first to arrive). They are also said to appear in the woods and valleys, sometimes carrying a pot of gold coins. Ambitious people usually follow them and try to steal them, which can easily make them angry.

9. Banshees

Like leprechauns, banshees are mythological beings. They are women or female spirits similar to fairies. In fact, the word Banshee means Woman (Ban), Fairy (Shee). Its presence usually does not indicate anything good (it is said to be observed when someone is about to pass away).

It usually takes the form of a woman wrapped in a cloak that covers her completely.. Other versions say that the banshees appear as a beautiful young woman, or as a matron. In addition, she makes her presence known by means of a lament that can begin as a whisper and progress to a loud scream, which is the final omen of tragedy.

10. The hero Cuchulainn

Legend has it that one day, the warrior Crunn came to the capital of the kingdom of Conchobor to watch a horse race presided over by the king. During the race, Crunn claimed that his wife was faster than some of the competitors, even though she was pregnant. The king of Conchobor asked the wife to prove this and, to everyone's surprise, she did. She later gave birth to two sons, one of whom was named Cuchulainn.

Despite having grown up with the expectation of always being in the shadow of the others; very young, Cuchulainn succeeded in killing an animal that no one could defeat.. He has been known ever since as a hero who emerges victorious from every battle and is the bearer of the best weapons. In fact, around the legend of the hero Cuchulainn, many other stories have developed.