Irish Legends and Folklore
Baby Names of Ireland has collected some of the most fascinating Irish Legends and Irish Folklore. We have partnered with the Coolderry National School in County Offaly, Ireland to help us with artwork produced by their students. We hope you enjoy these Irish Legends and Myths.
One morning the Fianna were deer hunting on the shores of Lough Lein in County Kerry. They saw a beautiful white horse coming towards them. Riding on the horse was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. She wore …
The Fianna lived many hundreds of years ago. Every man of the Fianna was chosen for his strength and bravery and was specially trained in warfare and was made a champion among warriors. Usually before any man could officially become …
Niall was one of the great Irish kings. He was the only son of Eochaid Muighmedon, high king and his wife Catharann, daughter of an English king. Eochaid later married Mong-Fionn, daughter of the king of Munster, and had another …
Fionn MacCool, was no ordinary giant. He was the biggest and the strongest giant in all Ireland. His voice could be heard for miles around. He was so strong that he could lift a hundred men in one of his …
Finegas was a poet. He was one of the wisest men in Ireland. He lived near the River Boyne. Finegas read books and wrote poems. Finegas was watching all the time to try and see the salmon of knowledge in …
Grainne was the daughter of Cormac MacAirt, the high king of Ireland. No woman could compare to her beauty. Many princes and chieftains wanted to marry her but Grainne was proud and she spurned each one after another. Fionn MacCool …
Long ago, a king called Conor MacNessa had warriors called the Red Branch Knights. He trained them to be strong men. King Conor also had a nephew called Setanta who wanted to be a Red Branch Knight. From a very …
Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, there lived in Ireland a race of tall, beautiful people. They loved music, poetry and sport and they were called the de Danann because they descended from the goddess Dana. Then one …
The Children of Lir Irish story – Long ago there lived a king called Lir. He lived with his wife and four children: Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra and Conn. They lived in a castle in the middle of a forest. When …
The Tain -Conor MacNessa ruled Ulster; Queen Maeve and her husband Ailill ruled in Connacht. One night Maeve and Ailill were boasting about their riches. Ailill also boasted about his great white bull. Maeve had no bull and she was …
Tir Na nOg is a very beautiful land. In Tir Na nOg the leaves don’t fall from the trees or die. The flowers bloom all year round, and you can smell the scent of them miles away. If you are …
Brian Boru is remembered as a very famous Irish king. He was part of the family of the Dal gCais. The Dal gCais had its fort near Kincora in County Clare. He learnt the skills of fighting when he was …
The Tara Brooch is considered one of the most important extant artifacts of early Christian-era Irish Celtic art, and is housed and displayed in the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin. What does a tara brooch represent? Made in about …
The huge Celtic Crosses rising from the Irish landscape embody the union between the old religions that St. Patrick found and the Christianity he brought to the island. Legend says the Saint traced a cross through the circle sacred to …
