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Unreal Irish Folklore

Unreal Irish Folklore

By: Ruth A
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About this listen

 Unreal is a podcast about Irish history, stories, folklore and tradition. Each episode searches for the origins of some of Ireland’s most famous myths and folklore, and takes a fresh look at exciting legends and history which have become almost forgotten in centuries past.

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Copyright 2019 All rights reserved. Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary World
Episodes
  • RE-RELEASE: Giants and Causeways

    RE-RELEASE: Giants and Causeways
    Nov 21 2021

    A re-release of the second ever episode of Unreal, while I recover from illness. A new episode will come soon once my voice is back at full strength!

    Giants sculpted our landscape. They are strong, and fierce, and can be terrifying if you’re unprepared. But anyone can defeat a giant – if you are clever enough to trick them…

    READ THE PODCAST SCRIPT

    SOURCES AND FURTHER READING

    The Story of Fionn and the Giant

    • The Giant’s Causeway, Dublin Penny Journal
    • A Legend of Knockmany, by William Carleton (and the original article)
    • Joe Moore’s Story of Finn Macooilly and the Buggane, Manx Fairytales by Sophia Morrison
    • Versions from the School’s Folklore Collection at Duchas.ie: 1, 2, 3, 4

    The very rude Scottish poem featuring the giant-sized descendants of Fionn

    Other Tales Mentioned

    • The fall of the Viking chieftain Turgesius
    • Maoil a Chliobain
    • Jack and the Beanstalk
    • Jack the Giant-killer
    • Stingy Jack

    MUSIC

    All by Slainte from The Free Music Archive

    • Theme Song – “The Butterfly”
    • The Lark in the Morning / The Atholl Highlanders
    • The Banshee / The Gravel Walks / The Old Copperplate

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    30 mins
  • The Cry of the Banshee

    The Cry of the Banshee
    Oct 31 2021

    The Banshee is one of Ireland’s most famous folkloric figures. A supernatural woman with a cry that foretells of death and devastation to those who hear it, stories about banshees have been terrifying listeners for hundreds of years. But has she always been this way?

    Read the Podcast Script

    Sources and Further Reading

    • A Folklore Survey of County Clare by Thomas Johnson Westropp
    • The Triumphs of Turlough translated by Standish Hayes O'Grady
    • The Hostel of Da Choca translated by Whitley Stokes
    • Annals of Loch Cé
    • The Memoirs of Lady Ann Fanshawe
    • Personal Sketches of His Own Times by Sir Jonah Barrington
    • Keening Tradition
    • "The Irish Funeral Cry" in The Dublin Penny Journal
    • O'Brien's Irish-English Dictionary

    Music

    • The Butterfly – Sláinte
    • Return Home - Moorland Songs
    • The White Birch - Moorland Songs
    • Mountain Solitude - Moorland Songs

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    28 mins
  • Mid Season Break

    Mid Season Break
    Oct 17 2021
    Hi everyone, Ruth here, and apologies for the slightly sporadic uploads to Unreal this season – I’ve just been having quite a busy time outside of podcasting. I’m actually going to take mid-season break and come back in two weeks with a special Halloween episode, and finish out the second half of the season then, hopefully with more regular uploads for those last few episodes. I hope that sounds ok, and wishing you a folklore-filled few weeks in the meantime. Go n-éirí an bóthar leat.

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    1 min
All stars
Most relevant
Really enjoyable narrative. We'll researched and told with excellent insights into the people and the times.

Excellent Show

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An authoritive but warm and articulate storyteller. Great bedtime listening; wonderful for ending the day with mythology

Powerful stories that have been told for so long and need to be retold now. Ruth is the voice to do it!

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