Irish Mythology and Folklore

An Introduction to Irish Mythology

So why is it that Irish mythology is less popular then it's brethren? And before you say anything, it's not just because the names are all weird and hard to pronounce... Even if they kind of are.

For starters, while it may not seem like it, the implications of the mythos are shattered throughout fiction. Irish mythology is (as far as I can find) the birthplace of creatures such as the banshee, the headless horseman, the faerie, and one of the many mythologies to incorporate creatures such as vampires and werewolves.

But the core basis of Irish mythology is rarely used, and not commonly known. One of the most contributing factors to this is the fact that there aren't that many reliable sources on it. The Greeks had scriptures such Homer's Iliad and Oddesy, but the Irish didn't. Most of what we know of their pagan beliefs comes from manuscripts written by Christian scribes when attempting to convert Ireland to Christianity, so traditional tales are severely lacking, and often demonised. Despite this, there are four main 'cycles' that make up the body of Irish Mythology. The Mythological Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, the Fenian Cycle, and the Historical Cycle, parts of which have all been collected and pieced together by me (and you know... probably more qualified people with actually published books), to make a good old Frankenstein of knowledge.

As well as this, the accounts that we do have are... Confusing, to say the least. Different versions of the stories contrast drastically, and some chunks of the legends are missing all together. Because of this, I've done my best to try and cover over some gaps with leaps of logic (or as logical as one can be when considering the material), and I've even made some connections that I couldn't find anywhere, but that I think fit, and seem pretty cool.

As I mentioned, the names of people, places and events in Irish myths are often hard to read and even more difficult to pronounce, if you speak any language other then ancient Gaelic. So, I've done my best to find the correct pronunciations, and put then in brackets through the chapters.

Finally, I would like to make a disclaimer- I am in no way an expert. I'm not even that familiar with the mythos. I'm just a guy who read a bunch of stuff, and went "Hey, this seems pretty interesting... I should write a book!" Truly, a great logical decision. So, I apologise in advance for anything I get wrong, this is just my interpretation and interweaving of the myths. If you have any more knowledge on the subject, and actually know what you're talking about (unlike me), please point out my mistakes, I'd love to hear different adaptations and possibly even revise entries to fit them.

With that aside, prepare to delve into the weird and wonderful world of Irish Mythology.