Irish Storytelling

The month of March is the perfect time to learn about Irish storytelling. An Irish storyteller is called a bard or, in Gaelic, a seanachie. Irish stories are beloved by all cultures. The reason is that Ireland represents a land full of legends and myths. The original stories or their adaptions find an audience enthralled by fantasy tales of fairies and leprechauns.

Irish folktales are passed down from generation to generation. The retelling of people and places keeps alive Ireland’s rich culture. Ireland’s past was told in the form of poems by the Irish bards.

From my readings, I learned that St. Patrick had a nickname: Old Shaved Head. He was born in Britain around the year 380 and raised in a Christian family. His parents didn’t name him Patrick. Some people believe his name was Maewyn. The Irish people like to feel that their patron saint is their friend and protector. On Judgment Day, the Irish people will be judged by St. Patrick, improving their chances of getting into heaven.

A legend is a story that is told throughout the years. It is said that St. Patrick cast a spell over snakes in Ireland by beating a drum to frighten them into the seas. The legend claims that Ireland is rid of snakes because of St. Patrick. 

According to legend, a leprechaun is an Irish fairy that lives in solitude and is a trickster. In most stories, leprechauns are portrayed as little people, who are rich and ill tempered. They are usually discovered by the tapping sounds they make mending tiny slippers. Leprechauns wear leather aprons and shoes with oversized buckles. 

Leprechauns escape their captors by blowing dust into a person’s eyes. Making a person blink distracts them from taking the leprechaun’s treasures. The buried gold that the leprechauns are said to hoard is really part of the treasure left behind by the Vikings. Again, stories based on fact!

Every year I anxiously await the arrival of new picture books on fairies or leprechauns. New authors and illustrators can generate a new leprechaun or fairy story by simply writing a new version of an old Irish story. For example, the beautiful picture book, Clever Tom and the Leprechaun, retold by Linda Shute, is from an old story called “The Field of Boliauns.” Boliauns come from the ragweed plant. Legend reveals that fairies magically change the stalks of the ragweed to horses, which they then ride through the air.

Besides the leprechaun, there are trooping fairies that live together under hills, in caves, in rivers, and deep under the sea. Trooping fairies like to play tricks on people. People are said to have sneezed or tripped in the presence of trooping fairies.

Irish literature contains a plethora of fairies, too many to name for this blog post. There are fairies that are capable of doing good deeds! If the land is too dry and crops will not grow, fairies can make it rain or they can chant prayers to treat the sick. 

In the spirit of Saint Patrick’s Day, here are some fascinating symbols that are unique to the Irish people:

• The Shamrock: The three leaves represent the Father, Son and Holy Ghost—The Trinity of the Catholic Church. Remember to wear a sprig of shamrock or the color green on St. Patrick’s Day!
• A Shillelagh: A wooden walking stick, which is made from a blackthorn stick with a large knob at the top.
• Gold Harp of Tara: Tara is a hill in the County Meath, near Dublin. The bards recited the chronicles of Ireland to the sound of the harp. 

I will honor the many stories I have read by sharing with you a beautiful and very easy craft. Gather several shades of green construction paper and make shamrocks. Punch a hole at the top of the shamrock and thread it with green ribbon or yarn. Hang on the wall and enjoy!

Some books I’d like to share with you

Saint Patrick’s Day Books

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day: History, Traditions, and Activities by John O'Brien Jr.

Shamrocks, Harps, and Shillelaghs: The Story of the St. Patrick’s Day Symbols by Edna Barth

Leprechauns

Five Little Leprechauns by Jeffery Burton

This Is the Way the Leprechauns Play by Arlo Finsy

Clever Tom and the Leprechaun by Linda Shute

Fairies and Fairy Tales

Finn McCool and the Great Fish by Eve Bunting

The King with Horse’s Ears and Other Irish Folktales by Batt Burns

The Green Hero: Early Adventures of Finn McCool by Bernard Evslin

- by Susan Seidenberg, Ewing Branch