In our Midwinter special we pulled out some of the less familiar treasures of Irish mythology from Manannan’s famous Craneskin bag, also known as the treasure bag of the Fianna. In a light hearted attempt to seek out some unusual seasonal gifting opportunities, we wondered which ones might still be appropriate in the early 21st…
Category: Specials
The Treasure Bag of the Fianna
The fair boy stared at the bag, turning it over in his hands. It felt smooth to the touch; fine leather, warm and welcoming to his fingers. He continued to stare at the pouch, its faded colours telling a story, but it was a tale he could not yet read. But he knew the object,…
Midwinter Special: The Craneskin Bag – A Santa’s Sack of Gifts from Irish Mythology
Long before Santa’s sack was filled with seasonal gifts, Manannán Mac Lír had a wonderful craneskin bag full of magical treasures, which he frequently gave to those he favoured. But what will the Story Archaeologists pull out of the bag? Some unusual pets, a mythical Swiss Army knife and a Holy Grail. Don’t forget to subscribe to…
Sat-Navs and Seanchaís – Finding your way through stories and landscapes
This article was published in the journal Keltria in issue 42, “Storytelling”. You can order this issue of Keltria here for digital download or print edition. Notes appear at the end of the article. Ireland has an international reputation as a nation of writers and storytellers, and it forms a large part of our national…
The Further Adventures of Nera ~ The Cave Between the Worlds
As Nera climbed out of the steep misted cave, into the darkness, he was met by the autumn smoke smells of damp and decay, clustering around him like a guard of arms, wakeful and watching. The cold night air caught at his throat and he shivered. And yet there was another odour, strong, green, fresh,…
Dindshenchas 08: The Further Adventures of Nera – The Cow and the Time Machine
In the context of Dindshenchas, we return to the fascinating tale, Echtrae Nerai / Táin Bó Aingene (“The Adventures of Nera / The Cattle Raid of Aingene“), which we dipped into in “Corpse Carrying For Beginners“. When Nera returns from his adventures in the síd, he ends up with even more than a time-travel headache….
The Battle of Moytura 09: The Children of Tuirenn 1 – The King of Bling (Part 1)
In the Early Modern Irish tale, “The Fate of the Children of Tuirenn”, Lugh prepares to take on the might of the Fomoire hosts, seemingly single-handed. But he will need some very special weapons for this task, along with the help of Clann Manannáin, the “Fairy Cavalcade”. As this epic “Sorrow of Irish Storytelling” serves…
The Landscape of a Story ~ notes to accompany the podcast episode
Notes intended to be read as an accompaniment to the podcast episode As we mentioned in the podcast, examining the story of Moytura is somewhat like staring into the reflecting levels of a lake. You may focus your vision on the ripple-transformed surface or look deeper into the shadowed depths for hidden treasures. Observing and…
Samhain Special: Corpse Carrying For Beginners
An Acallam na nÉces Samhain Special In this seasonal special, the Story Archaeologists compare two stories of Samhain. It’s a time for ghosts and ghouls and things that go bump in the night… but what could such stories tell us about life 100 or even 1,000 years ago? Find out as the Story Archaeologists go…
Tales of Sheebeg
The 1931 excavation of the cairn on Sheebeg In our conversation on Sheebeg, we talked about the excavation that took place in January 1931. I thought that it might be interesting to include a few quotes from the newspapers of the time and the only sketch that was made, as far as I am aware,…