Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Category: Fairies

Aquatic Monsters / Cryptozoology / Fairies / Folklore / Mermaids

Martin Mere, Burscough

In 2002 there were reports of a large underwater predator, probably a huge catfish living in the lake and eating the local swans. The following BBC report dates from 27 July 2002.

‘A giant fish which has attacked swans at a bird sanctuary has been spotted by wildlife experts.

Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Fairies / Scottish Folktales

Lochan-Nan-Deaan

The following extract is taken from Folklore [A Quarterly Review of Myth, Tradition, Institution & Custom] Vol III (1892). ‘This is a small loch on the side of the old military* road between Gorgarff and Tomintoul. The road passes close by its brink on the west side. On the other side of the road is an almost perpendicular rock, between 400 and 500 feet high.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Scottish Fairies / Wells

Tobar-Fuar-Mòr (The Big Cold Well)

The following description of The Big Cold Well is taken from Folklore [A Quarterly Review of Myth, Tradition, Institution & Custom] Vol III (1892). ‘This well is situated at the bottom of a steep hill in a fork between two small streams on the estate of Allargue, Corgarff. There are three springs that supply the water, distant from each other about a yard.

Ancient Sites / Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / Scottish Fairies / Scottish Folktales / Wells

Tobar-na-glas a Coille (The Well in the Grey Wood)

‘This well lies near the old military road, near the top of the hill that divides the glen of Corgarff from Glengairn. In a small knoll near it lived a spiteful Spirit that went by the name of Duine-glase-beg, i.e., the Little Grey Man. He was guardian of the well and watched over its water with great care.

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English Fairies / Fairies / Folklore / Irish Fairies / Manx Fairies / Occult / Occult Traditions / Scottish Fairies / Welsh Fairies / Witchcraft

When Witches Communed With Fairies

Our modern conventions tend to view the realms of fairies and witches separately. Witches have been viewed as evil, while fairies are seen as benevolent, cute, and kind. As scholars reevaluate witch trials and the confessions of those accused, we are coming to new conclusions on accused witches.

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Fairies / Folklore / Scottish Fairies

Orkney’s Terrible Trows

Trows are fascinating creatures found only in the folklore of the Orkney and Shetland islands. But, describing them accurately is difficult because sources are not clear. Folklorists have long insisted that the word “trow” is a corruption of “troll,” and that Orkney’s Trows descend from their Viking ancestors’ stories of Trolls.

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Articles / Fairies / Folklore / Mermaids / Scottish Fairies

Folklore And The Fin Folk of Orkney

Folklore is an integral part of any cultural heritage. Sometimes written off as childish fairytale, folklore deserves to be recognized as a valuable treasure trove of information about our own past. The tales and legends of folklore are the result of oral tradition handed down by mouth through the generations.

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Fairies / Folklore / Irish Fairies / Scottish Fairies

The Cailleach

From high mountain pass, exhaling ice breath, (2).
Comes Cailleach clothed in summers death.
Cold fingers search under starlight’s lantern
Staff cracks dew to frosted mantle, (3).
In the stags hoary frosted bark,
Riding with wolves on the cloak of the dark. (4).
From mountain, hillock, stone and spring (5).

Fairies / Folklore / Folktales / Irish Fairies / Irish Folktales / Mermaids

Lough Neagh

The freshwater Lough Neagh covers an area of 151 square miles and is Northern Ireland’s largest lake. There are a few legends associated with Lough Neagh and its formation. The following account entitled ‘This is the Death of Eochaidh son of Mairid’ is from the Book of the Dun Cow, Translated by Standish Hayes O’Grad (1892).