Mayo Folk Tales

Those magic words 'Once upon a time' have been spoken around the flickering flame of the turf fire by storytellers for thousands of years. In this book, author Tony Locke has gathered together the rich tapestry of stories that make up the folklore, myth and legend of County Mayo. This book will take you on a journey through the rugged landscape of the west coast of Ireland, to its holy mountain, Croagh Patrick, and across the foaming waters of Clew Bay. Here you will read of Gráinne Ní Mháille, the Pirate Queen, the spectre known as the Fír Gorta who roamed the famine villages of west Mayo, the monsters that inhabit the deep waters of Lough Mask and the Matchstick Man of Straide. You will also read of the Love Flower and two young lovers, the land of eternal youth that is Tír na nÓg and the night of the Big Wind. So why not pull up a chair and sit awhile? You know you're never too old for a story.

Mayo has a rich heritage of myths and legends which is uniquely captured in this collection of traditional tales from the county. Discover where Caoranach, one of the most powerful demons in Hell, is said to lurk, and where Grace O’Malley, the famous warrior woman, once roamed along with the tales of the hero highwayman MacNamara and his trusty steed Venus, the fastest horse who ever lived. In a vivid journey through Mayo’s varied landscape, from the barren slopes of the holy mountain Croagh Patrick, to the boglands of the Ceide fields and on to the swollen, dangerous seas and rugged coastline that stretches its Western border, professional storyteller Niall de Burca takes the reader to places where legend and landscape are inseparably linked.

The Little Book of Mayo is a compendium of fascinating, obscure, strange and entertaining facts about County Mayo. Here you will find out about Mayo's natural history, its myth and legend, its proud sporting heritage – particularly its long-running quest for Sam – and its famous (and occasionally infamous) men and women. Through quaint villages and bustling towns, this book takes the reader on a journey through County Mayo and its vibrant past. A reliable reference book and a quirky guide, this can be dipped into time and time again to reveal something new about the people, the heritage and the secrets of this ancient county.

A collection of folk history from County Mayo.

Traditional hedgerows are rapidly vanishing from our countryside. With their disappearance, we lose not only their flora and fauna but also the tales and folklore that have always surrounded them.This book records these stories before they disappear from memory. With chapters dedicated to specific plants or animals, we learn about the folklore of the hedgehog, the badger, woodmouse, thrush, wren, bumblebee, hawthorn, foxglove and hazel and many more.These are tales of wisdom and magic that help us to gain a greater understanding of the natural world we live in and which encourage us to live in closer harmony with that world.

These true stories drawn from historical sources and local reminiscences, have been brought together and retold by Eamonn Henry. This collection is a heady mix of tragic, funny, passionate and moving stories. Included here are tales of well-known events such as the Night of the Big Wind and the Flight of the Wild Geese as well as less well-known occurrences such as the Doolough Tragedy and the Lough Mask Murders and recalls local characters such as confidence trickster Old Neddy and the universally reviled Shaun na Soggarth.

In these 14 magical stories from around the world, you can read about the princess who climbs out of a lemon, the king who wants only to touch the moon, and the three golden apples which can bring a princess back to life.

Collection of folktales from County Mayo.