' (; older form: ) is the

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

name for a

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

race in

Celtic mythology Celtic mythology is the body of myths belonging to the Celtic peoples.Cunliffe, Barry, (1997) ''The Ancient Celts''. Oxford, Oxford University Press , pp. 183 (religion), 202, 204–8. Like other Iron Age Europeans, Celtic peoples followed a ...

– spelled ''sìth'' by the Scots, but pronounced the same – comparable to fairies or

elves An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes " ...

. They are said to descend from either

fallen angel In the Abrahamic religions, fallen angels are angels who were expelled from heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" never appears in any Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven"Mehdi Azaiez, Gabriel Said R ...

s or the

Tuatha Dé Danann The Tuath(a) Dé Danann (, meaning "the folk of the goddess Danu"), also known by the earlier name Tuath Dé ("tribe of the gods"), are a supernatural race in Irish mythology. Many of them are thought to represent deities of pre-Christian Gae ...

, meaning the "People of Danu", depending on the

Abrahamic The Abrahamic religions are a group of religions centered around worship of the God of Abraham. Abraham, a Hebrew patriarch, is extensively mentioned throughout Abrahamic religious scriptures such as the Bible and the Quran. Jewish tradition ...

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. ...

tradition. The ''aos sí'' are said to live underground in

fairy fort Fairy forts (also known as ''lios'' or ''raths'' from the Irish, referring to an earthen mound) are the remains of stone circles, ringforts, hillforts, or other circular prehistoric dwellings in Ireland. From (possibly) the late Iron Age to ...

s, across the Western sea, or in an invisible world that co-exists with the world of humans. This world is described in the ''

Lebor Gabála Érenn ''Lebor Gabála Érenn'' (literally "The Book of the Taking of Ireland"), known in English as ''The Book of Invasions'', is a collection of poems and prose narratives in the Irish language intended to be a history of Ireland and the Irish fro ...

'' as a parallel universe in which the ''aos sí'' walk among the living. In

modern Irish Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was t ...

the people of the mounds are also called ''daoine sí''; in Scottish Gaelic they are called ''daoine sìth'' (in both cases, it means "people of the fairy mound"). They are variously said to be the ancestors, the spirits of nature, or goddesses and gods. Evans Wentz, W. Y. (1966, 1990
The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries
Gerrards Cross, Colin Smythe Humanities Press

Etymology

In the

Irish language Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...

, ''aos sí'' means "people of the mounds", as the " ''sídhe''" in Irish are hills or

burial mounds A tumulus (plural tumuli) is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds or ''kurgans'', and may be found throughout much of the world. A cairn, which is a mound of stones built ...

(consistent with

Geoffrey Keating Geoffrey Keating ( ga, Seathrún Céitinn; c. 1569 – c. 1644) was a 17th-century historian. He was born in County Tipperary, Ireland, and is buried in Tubrid Graveyard in the parish of Ballylooby-Duhill. He became an Irish Catholic priest and a ...

's suggestion that the ''aos sí'' came from the Land of the Dead). In modern Irish, the word is ''sí''; in Scottish Gaelic, ''sìth''; in Old Irish, ''síde'', and the singular is ''síd''. Dictionary of the Irish Language:
síd, síth
' By the time of the

Celtic Revival The Celtic Revival (also referred to as the Celtic Twilight) is a variety of movements and trends in the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries that see a renewed interest in aspects of Celtic culture. Artists and writers drew on the traditions of Gael ...

, when the " Fairy Faith became a topic for English and English-language authors, ''sidhe'' in its various forms, with various meanings, became a

loanword A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because th ...

into English and took on a variety of, often inaccurate, meanings. In a number of later, English-language texts, the word ''sídhe'' is incorrectly used both for the mounds and the people of the mounds. For example

W. B. Yeats William Butler Yeats (13 June 186528 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist, writer and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival and became a pillar of the Irish liter ...

, writing in 1908, referred to the ''aos sí'' simply as "the ''sídhe''". However ''sidh'' in older texts refers specifically to "the palaces, courts, halls or residences" of the otherworldly beings that supposedly inhabit them.O'Curry, E., Lectures on Manuscript Materials, Dublin 1861, p. 504, quoted by Evans-Wentz 1966, p. 291 The fact that many of these ''sídhe'' have been found to be ancient burial mounds has contributed to the theory that the ''aos sí'' were the pre-Celtic occupants of Ireland. In the scholarly literature of the ''Popular Tales of Ireland'' (1880) the word ''sídh'' is conjectured to be synonymous with "immortal," and is compared with words such as ''sídsat'' "they wait/remain," ''síthbeo'' "lasting," ''sídhbuan'' "perepetual," and ''sídhbe'' "long life." In most of the tales concerning the ''sí'' a great age or long life is implied.

In Irish folklore

In many

Gael The Gaels ( ; ga, Na Gaeil ; gd, Na Gàidheil ; gv, Ny Gaeil ) are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man in the British Isles. They are associated with the Gaelic languages: a branch of the Celtic languag ...

ic tales, the ''aos sí'' are later, literary versions of the

("People of the Goddess Danu")—the deities and deified ancestors of

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...

. Some sources describe them as the survivors of the Tuatha Dé Danann who retreated into the

Otherworld The concept of an otherworld in historical Indo-European religion is reconstructed in comparative mythology. Its name is a calque of ''orbis alius'' (Latin for "other Earth/world"), a term used by Lucan in his description of the Celtic Otherwor ...

when fleeing the mortal Sons of

Míl Espáine In Irish origin myths, Míl Espáine or Míl Espáne (later Latinized as Milesius; also Miled/Miledh) is the mythical ancestor of the final inhabitants of Ireland, the "sons of Míl" or Milesians, who represent the vast majority of the Irish Ga ...

who, like many other early invaders of Ireland, came from Iberia. As part of the terms of their surrender to the Milesians, the

agreed to retreat and dwell underground. (In later interpretations, each tribe of the Tuatha Dé Danann was given its own mound.)

, an Irish historian of the early 17th century, equates Iberia with the Land of the Dead, providing a possible connection to the ''aos sí.'' In folk belief and practice, the ''aos sí'' are often appeased with offerings, and care is taken to avoid angering or insulting them. Often they are not named directly, but rather spoken of as "The Good Neighbours", "The Fair Folk", or simply "The Folk". The most common names for them, ''aos sí'', ''aes sídhe'', ''daoine sídhe'' (singular ''duine sídhe'') and ''daoine sìth'' mean, literally, "people of the mounds" (referring to the ''sídhe''). The ''aos sí'' are generally described as stunningly beautiful, though they can also be terrible and hideous. ''Aos sí'' are seen as fierce guardians of their abodes —whether a fairy hill, a

fairy ring A fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring ring or arc of mushrooms. They are found mainly in forested areas, but also appear in grasslands or rangelands. Fairy rings are detectable by ...

, a special tree (often a

hawthorn Hawthorn or Hawthorns may refer to: Plants * '' Crataegus'' (hawthorn), a large genus of shrubs and trees in the family Rosaceae * ''Rhaphiolepis'' (hawthorn), a genus of about 15 species of evergreen shrubs and small trees in the family Rosace ...

) or a particular

loch ''Loch'' () is the Scottish Gaelic, Scots language, Scots and Irish language, Irish word for a lake or sea inlet. It is Cognate, cognate with the Manx language, Manx lough, Cornish language, Cornish logh, and one of the Welsh language, Welsh w ...

or wood. It is believed that infringing on these spaces will cause the ''aos sí'' to retaliate in an effort to remove the people or objects that invaded their homes. Many of these tales contribute to the

changeling A changeling, also historically referred to as an auf or oaf, is a human-like creature found in folklore throughout Europe. A changeling was believed to be a fairy that had been left in place of a human (typically a child) stolen by other fairi ...

myth in

west European Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, ranging ...

, with the ''aos sí'' kidnapping trespassers or replacing their children with changelings as a punishment for transgressing. The ''aos sí'' are often connected to certain times of year and hours; as the Gaelic Otherworld is believed to come closer to the mortal world at the times of dusk and dawn, the ''aos sí'' correspondingly become easier to encounter. Some festivals such as

Samhain Samhain ( , , , ; gv, Sauin ) is a Gaelic festival on 1 NovemberÓ hÓgáin, Dáithí. ''Myth Legend and Romance: An Encyclopaedia of the Irish Folk Tradition''. Prentice Hall Press, 1991. p. 402. Quote: "The basic Irish division of the year ...

Bealtaine Beltane () is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking th ...

and

Midsummer Midsummer is a celebration of the season of summer usually held at a date around the summer solstice. It has pagan pre-Christian roots in Europe. The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr ...

are also associated with the ''aos sí.''

Alternate names in Irish folklore

The ''Aos sí'' are known by many names in Ireland, among them: * ''Aingil Anúabhair'': "Proud angels" * ''Daoine Uaisle': "The noble folk" * ''Daoine maithe'': "Good people" * ''Deamhna Aerig'': "Air demons" * ''Dream Anúabhair'': "Excessively proud eople * ''Sídhfir'': "Immortal men" * ''Sídheógaídhe'': "Little immortals" * ''Slúagh Cille'': "Host of the churchyard" * ''Slúagh na Marbh'': "Host of the dead" * ''Slúagh Sídhe'': "Immortal host" * ''Slúagh-Sídhe-Thúatha-Dé-Danann'': "Immortal host of the Túatha Dé Danann" * ''na Uaisle'': "The noble" or "The highborn"

Daoine maithe

Daoine maithe is

for "the good people", which is a popular term used to refer to the fairies in Irish

. Due to the oral nature of Irish folklore the exact origins of the fairies is not well defined. There are stories enough to support two possible origins. The fairies could either be

s or the descendants of the

; in the latter case this is equivalent with ''Aos Sí''. In the former case, it is said that the fairies are angels who have fallen from heaven, but whose sins were not great enough to warrant hell. They are generally human-like, though there are exceptions such as the ''

púca The púca ( Irish for ''spirit/ghost''; plural púcaí), puca (Old English for ''goblin''; plural pucel) pwca, pooka, phouka, puck is a creature of Celtic, English, and Channel Islands folklore. Considered to be bringers both of good and bad ...

'' and the

mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...

. The defining features of the Irish fairies are their supernatural abilities and their temperament. If treated with respect and kindness, Irish fairies can be quite benevolent; however, if they are mistreated they will react cruelly.

Types

The

banshee A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name i ...

or ''bean sídhe'' (from sga, ban síde), which means "woman of the ''sídhe''", Dictionary of the Irish Language:
síd, síth
' and
ben
' has come to indicate any supernatural woman of Ireland who announces a coming death by wailing and

keening Keening (Irish: Caointeoireacht) is a traditional form of vocal lament for the dead in the Gaelic Celtic tradition, known to have taken place in Ireland and Scotland. Keening, which can be seen as a form of sean-nós singing, was performed in ...

. Her counterpart in Scottish mythology is the ''bean sìth'' (sometimes spelled ''bean-sìdh''). Other varieties of ''aos sí'' and ''daoine sìth'' include the Scottish ''

bean nighe The (Scottish Gaelic for 'washerwoman' or 'laundress'; ) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore, regarded as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. She is a type of ( ga, bean sídhe, anglicized as "banshee") that haunts desola ...

'': the washerwoman who is seen washing the bloody clothing or armour of the person who is doomed to die; the ''

leanan sídhe The ' (; gd, leannan sìth, gv, lhiannan shee; ) is a figure from Irish Folklore. She is depicted as a beautiful woman of the ''Aos Sí'' ("people of the tumulus, barrows") who takes a human lover. Lovers of the ''leannán sídhe'' are said to l ...

'': the "fairy lover"; the ''

cat sìth The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

'': a fairy cat; and the '' Cù Sìth'': fairy dog. The '' sluagh sídhe'' — "the fairy host" — is sometimes depicted in Irish and Scottish lore as a crowd of airborne spirits, perhaps the cursed, evil or restless dead. The ''siabhra'' (anglicised as "sheevra"), may be a type of these lesser spirits, prone to evil and mischief.MacKillop, James (2004)
Dictionary of Celtic Mythology
'Joyce, P.W
''A Social History of Ancient Ireland''
Vol. 1, p. 271 However, an

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...

folk song also uses "sheevra" simply to mean "spirit" or "fairy"."The Gartan Mother's Lullaby"
published 1904 in ''The Songs of Uladh'', lyrics by Seosamh MacCathmhaoil (Joseph Campbell)

List

Abarta In Irish mythology, Abarta (also Ábartach, possibly meaning "doer of deeds"Cotterell, Arthur: ''The Encyclopedia of Mythology'', page 96. Hermes House, 2007. ), was in some accounts one of the Tuatha Dé Danann and in others a Fomorian, and is ...

* Abhartach * Alp-luachra *

Bean nighe The (Scottish Gaelic for 'washerwoman' or 'laundress'; ) is a female spirit in Scottish folklore, regarded as an omen of death and a messenger from the Otherworld. She is a type of ( ga, bean sídhe, anglicized as "banshee") that haunts desola ...

Caoineag The caoineag () is a female spirit in Scottish folklore and a type of Highland banshee, her name meaning "weeper". She is normally invisible and foretells death in her clan by lamenting in the night at a waterfall, stream or Loch, or in a glen or ...

Banshee A banshee ( ; Modern Irish , from sga, ben síde , "woman of the fairy mound" or "fairy woman") is a female spirit in Irish folklore who heralds the death of a family member, usually by screaming, wailing, shrieking, or keening. Her name i ...

Cat sìth The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

* Cù Sìth *

Changeling A changeling, also historically referred to as an auf or oaf, is a human-like creature found in folklore throughout Europe. A changeling was believed to be a fairy that had been left in place of a human (typically a child) stolen by other fairi ...

* Clíodhna *

Clurichaun The clurichaun () or clúrachán (from ga, clobhair-ceannW. B. Yeats, Yeats, W. B. (1888). ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry''. London: Walter Scott. p. 80.) is a mischievous fairy in Irish mythology, Irish folklore known for his g ...

Dobhar-chú The Dobhar-chú (; ), or King Otter, is a creature of Irish folklore. It resembles both a dog and an otter, though it sometimes is described as half dog, half fish. It lives in water and has fur with protective properties.There are little to no ...

Dullahan The Dullahan (Irish: Dubhlachan ; dúlachán, ), also called Gan Ceann (meaning "without a head" in Irish), is a type of mythological creature in Irish folklore. He is depicted as a headless rider, on a black horse, who carries his own head ...

* Ellén Trechend *

Fachen In Scottish folklore the fachan (or fachin, fachen, Direach Ghlinn Eitidh or Dithreach (dwarf of Glen Etive)) is a monster or giant described by John Francis Campbell in ''Popular Tales of the West Highlands'' as having a single eye in the middle ...

Far darrig A far darrig or fear dearg is a faerie of Irish mythology. The name ''far darrig'' is an Anglophone pronunciation of the Irish words ''fear dearg'', meaning ''Red Man'', as the far darrig is said to wear a red coat and cap. They are also sometime ...

Fear gorta In Irish mythology, the fear gorta (Irish: ''Man of hunger'' / ''Man of famine''; also known as the fear gortach) is a phantom of hunger resembling an emaciated human. According to Yeats' ''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry'' the fear ...

Am Fear Liath Mòr In Scottish folklore, Am Fear Liath Mòr (; ; also known as the Big Grey Man of Ben MacDhui or simply the Greyman) is the name for a presence or creature which is said to haunt the summit and passes of Ben Macdui, the highest peak of the Cairngor ...

Fetch Fetch may refer to: Books * ''Fetch'', a 2012 book by Alan MacDonald and David Roberts * ''The Fetch'', a 2006 book by Chris Humphreys * ''The Fetch'', a 2009 book by Laura Whitcomb * ''The Fetch'', a 1991 book by Robert Holdstock * ''Fazbear ...

Fuath A fuath ( gd, fuath; ; lit. ‘hatred'; ''fuathan''; vough, vaugh) is a class of malevolent spirits in Scottish Highland folklore, especially water spirits. In Sutherland was the so-called ''Moulin na Vaugha/Fouadh'', ‘Mill of the Fuath', h ...

Gancanagh A gancanagh () () is a male fairy from the mythology of Northern Ireland, known for seducing women. Etymology The name has been rendered under various spellings including geancánach or ganconer. Sources collected from County Meath by the Iri ...

* Ghillie Dhu / Gille Dubh *

Glaistig The glaistig is a ghost from Scottish mythology, a type of fuath. It is also known as ''maighdean uaine'' (Green Maiden), and may appear as a woman of beauty or monstrous mien, as a half-woman and half-goat similar to a faun or satyr, or in th ...

Glashtyn Glashtyn (Manx English: glashtin, glashtan or glashan; gv, glashtin or ) is a legendary creature from Manx folklore. The glashtin is said to be a goblin that appears out of its aquatic habitat, to come in contact with the island folk; others ...

* Leanan Sídhe / Leannan Sìth *

Leprechaun A leprechaun ( ga, leipreachán/luchorpán) is a diminutive supernatural being in Irish folklore, classed by some as a type of solitary fairy. They are usually depicted as little bearded men, wearing a coat and hat, who partake in mischief. ...

Merrow Merrow (from Irish ', Middle Irish ' or ') is a mermaid or merman in Irish folklore. The term is of Hiberno-English origin. The merrows supposedly require a magical cap ( ga, cochaillín draíochta; Hiberno-English: cohuleen druith) in order ...

Oilliphéist The Oilliphéist ( ga, ollphéist, ) is a sea serpent-like monster in Irish mythology and folklore. These monsters were believed to inhabit many lakes and rivers in Ireland and there are many legends of saints and heroes fighting them. In one ...

Púca The púca ( Irish for ''spirit/ghost''; plural púcaí), puca (Old English for ''goblin''; plural pucel) pwca, pooka, phouka, puck is a creature of Celtic, English, and Channel Islands folklore. Considered to be bringers both of good and bad ...

Sluagh The Sluagh (, ; sga, slúag; English: 'host, army, crowd'), or Sluagh na marbh ('host of the dead'), were the hosts of the unforgiven dead in Irish and Scottish folklore., s.v. ''Sluagh''. In the words of British folklorist Lewis Spence, "In the ...

''Creideamh Sí''

' is

for the "Fairy Faith", a collection of beliefs and practices observed by those who wish to keep good relationships with the ' and avoid angering them. The custom of offering milk and traditional foods—such as baked goods, apples or berries—to the ' has survived through the Christian era into the present day in parts of Ireland, Scotland and the diaspora. Those who maintain some degree of belief in the ' also are careful to leave their sacred places alone and protect them from damage through road or housing construction.

References

Primary sources

* ''

'' (''The Book of Invasions'') in '' Lebor Laignech'' (''The Book of Leinster'') * '' Annála na gCeithre Máistrí'' (''The Annals of the Four Masters'') * '' Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta'' (''The Book of Ballymote'') * ''

Lebor na hUidre The manuscript known as Lebor na hUidre (English translation: Book of the Dun Cow) is the oldest extant written in Gaelic (Irish), and the texts included therein recount Irish history through an eschatological lens. The Christian authors who c ...

'' (''The Book of the Dun Cow'') * '' Leabhar Buidhe Lecain'' (''The Yellow Book of Lecan'') * '' Leabhar (Mór) Leacain'' (''The Great Book of Lecan'')

Secondary sources

* Briggs, Katharine (1978). ''The Vanishing People: Fairy Lore and Legends''. New York: Pantheon. * Briody, Mícheál (2008, 2016) ''The Irish Folklore Commission 1935–1970: History, Ideology, Methodology'' Helsinki Finnish Literature Society and ''Studia Fennica Foloristica'' 17 urn:ISSN:1235-1946 Retrieved o
10 April 2018
* Colum, Padraic (1967) ''A Treasury of Irish Folklore: The Stories, Traditions, Legends, Humor, Wisdom, Ballads, and Songs of the Irish People''. New York Crown Publishers Retrieved from Opensource via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* De Jubainville, M. H. D'Arbois and

Richard Irvine Best Richard Irvine Best (17 January 1872 – 25 September 1959), often known as R. I. Best, was an Irish scholar who specialised in Celtic Studies. Best was born into a Protestant family in Derry and educated at Foyle College before working for ...

(1903). ''The Irish Mythological Cycle and Celtic Mythology''. Dublin Hodges, Figgis, and Company. Retrieved from Indiana University Library via Archive.or
12 October 2017
* Evans-Wentz, W. Y. (1911). ''The Fairy-Faith in Celtic Countries''. London: Oxford University Press. Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
12 October 2017
* Gantz, Jeffrey (1981) ''Early Irish Myths and Sagas'' London, Penguin ; * Keating, Geoffrey ( 1866) ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn: The History of Ireland'' O'Mahony John (Trans) New York. James B. Kirker Retrieved from Boston College Libraries via Archive.or
12 October 2017
also republished as Keating, Geoffrey ( 1902–14) ''Foras Feasa ar Éirinn: The History of Ireland'' Comyn, David and Dinneen, Patrick S. (eds.) 4 vols. London David Nutt for the

Irish Texts Society The Irish Texts Society ( ga, Cumann na Scríbheann nGaedhilge) was founded in 1898 to promote the study of Irish literature. It is a text publication society, issuing annotated editions of texts in Irish with English translations and related co ...

. Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
12 October 2017
* Keightley, Thomas. (1892) ''Fairy Mythology''. London: George Bell & Sons, Retrieved from Project Gutenber
15 October 2017
* Koch, John T. (2005). ''Celtic Culture: A Historical Encyclopedia Vol. 1'' A-Celti. Oxford. ABC-Clio. Retrieved o
14 March 2018
* MacKillop, James (1986). ''Fionn Mac Cumhail: Celtic Myth in English Literature'' New York Syracuse University Press Retrieved o
14 March 2018
* MacKillop, James (1998). ''Dictionary of Celtic Mythology''. London: Oxford. . * MacKillop, James (2005). ''Myths and Legends of the Celts''. London. Penguin Books .Retrieved o
14 March 2018
* McAnally, David Russell (1888).''Irish Wonders: The Ghosts, Giants, Pookas, Demons, Leprechawns, Banshees, Fairies, Witches, Widows, Old Maids, and Other Marvels of the Emerald Isle'' Boston: Houghton, Mifflin, & Company Retrieved from United States Library of Congress via Archive.or
20 November 2017
* Monaghan, Patricia (2004)''The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore'' New York Facts on File Retrieved o
10 April 2018
* Ó Danachair, Caoimhín (1978). ''A Bibliography of Irish Ethnology and Folk Tradition''. Dublin Mercier Press * Ó Súilleabháin, Seán (1942) ''A Handbook of Irish Folklore'' Dublin Educational Company of Ireland Limited * Ó Súilleabháin, Seán & Christiansen, Reidar Th.(1963). ''The Types of the Irish Folktale''. Folklore Fellows' Communications No. 188. Helsinki 1963. * Rolleston, T.W. (1911). ''Myths and Legends of the Celtic Race''. London. George Harrap and Company. Retrieved from Public Library of India via Archive.or
14 March 2018
* Zipes, Jack (2015) ''The Oxford Companion to Fairy Tales'' 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press Retrieved
10 April 2018
* White, Carolyn (2005) st pub.1976
A History of Irish Fairies
' New York. Avalon Publishing Group.
Irish folklore archive inscribed into UNESCO register
'' Rte News'' 6 December 2017 Retrieved 10 April 2018

Tertiary Sources

* Anonymous .J.T.(1889). ''Folk-Lore and Legends: Ireland''. London: W.W. Gibbings. Retrieved from Harvard University Library via Archive.or
21 November 2017
also republished as Anonymous .J.T.(1904). ''Irish Fairy Tales Folklore and Legends''. London: W.W. Gibbings. Retrieved via Archive.or
21 November 2017
* Anonymous, ''The Royal Hibernian Tales; Being 4 Collections of the Most Entertaining Stories Now Extant'', Dublin, C.M. Warren, Retrieved from Google Books o
4 November 2017
* Browne, Frances. (1904). ''Granny's Wonderful Chair'' New York: McClure, Phillips and Company, Retrieved from United States Library of Congress via Archive.or
22 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1830). ''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, First Series Vol. 1''. Dublin: William Curry, Jun, and Company Retrieved from University of Illinois Library vi
Archive.org11 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1830). ''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, First Series Vol. 2''. Dublin: William Curry, Jun, and Company Retrieved from University of Illinois Library vi
Archive.org11 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1834). ''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, Second Series Vol. 1''. Dublin: William Frederick Wakeman Retrieved from University of Illinois Library vi
Archive.org11 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1834). ''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, Second Series Vol. 2''. Dublin: William Frederick Wakeman Retrieved from University of Illinois Library vi
Archive.org11 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1834). ''Traits and Stories of the Irish Peasantry, Second Series Vol. 3''. Dublin: William Frederick Wakeman Retrieved from University of Illinois Library vi
Archive.org11 November 2017
* Carleton, William (1845). ''Tales and Sketches Illustrating the Character, Usages, Traditions, Sports, and Pastimes of the Irish Peasantry''. Dublin: James Duffy Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
11 November 2017
* Colum, Padraic (1916). ''The King of Ireland's Son''. New York: H. Holt and Company Retrieved from Project Gutenberg via 24_November_2017
*__Colum,_Padraic_(1918)._''The_Boy_Who_Knew_How_to_Speak_to_Birds''._New_York:_The_MacMillan_Company_Retrieved_from_New_York_Public_Library_via_Archive.or
24_November_2017
*__Colum,_Padraic_(1929)_[First_Pub._1919)._''The_Girl_Who_Sat_by_the_Ashes''._New_York:_The_MacMillan_Company_Retrieved_from_New_York_Public_Library_via_Archive.or
24_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker.html" ;"title="
24 November 2017
* Colum, Padraic (1918). ''The Boy Who Knew How to Speak to Birds''. New York: The MacMillan Company Retrieved from New York Public Library via Archive.or
24 November 2017
* Colum, Padraic (1929) 24_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker">Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1825).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._1''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker.html" ;"title="irst Pub. 1919). ''The Girl Who Sat by the Ashes''. New York: The MacMillan Company Retrieved from New York Public Library via Archive.or
24 November 2017
* Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1825).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._1''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker">Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1828).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._2''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker.html" ;"title="Thomas Crofton Croker">Croker, Thomas Crofton (1825).''Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland vol. 1'' London: John Murray, Retrieved from Oxford University Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1828).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._2''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker">Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1828).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._3''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_ Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1828).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._2''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Thomas_Crofton_Croker">Croker,_Thomas_Crofton_(1828).''Fairy_Legends_and_Traditions_of_the_South_of_Ireland_vol._3''_London:_John_Murray,_Retrieved_from_Oxford_University_Library_via_Archive.or
6_November_2017
*_Jeremiah_Curtin">Curtin,_Jeremiah_(1890)._''Myths_and_Folk-Lore_of_Ireland''_London:_Sampson_Low,_Marston,_Searle,_&_Rivington_Retrieved_from_University_of_Toronto_Library_via_Archive.or
8_November_2017
*_Jeremiah_Curtin.html" ;"title="Jeremiah_Curtin.html" ;"title="Thomas Crofton Croker">Croker, Thomas Crofton (1828).''Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland vol. 2'' London: John Murray, Retrieved from Oxford University Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Thomas Crofton Croker">Croker, Thomas Crofton (1828).''Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland vol. 3'' London: John Murray, Retrieved from Oxford University Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Jeremiah Curtin">Curtin, Jeremiah (1890). ''Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland'' London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
8 November 2017
* Jeremiah Curtin">Curtin, Jeremiah (1894). ''Hero-Tales of Ireland''. London: MacMillan and Company Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
8 November 2017
* Jeremiah Curtin, Curtin, Jeremiah (1895). ''Tales of the Fairies and of the Ghost World: Collected from Oral Tradition in South-West Munster''. Boston: Little Brown Company Retrieved from University of Wisconsin Library via Archive.or
8 November 2017
* Sinéad de Valera, De Valera, Sinéad (1927). ''Irish Fairy Stories'', London: MacMillan Children's Books. Retrieved 27 November 2017 . * Philip Dixon Hardy, Dixon Hardy, Phillip. (1837).''Legends, Tales, and Stories of Ireland'' Dublin: P.J. John Cumming, Retrieved from Harvard University Library via Archive.or
23 November 2017
* Edward Dwelly, Dwelly, Edward (1902).''Faclair Gàidhlìg air son nan sgoiltean : le dealbhan, agus a h-uile facal anns na faclairean Gàidhlig eile ..'' Herne Bay: E. MacDonald & Co, Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
29 Aug 2022
* Frost, William Henry. (1900).''Fairies and Folk of Ireland'' New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, Retrieved from New York Public Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Alfred Perceval Graves, Graves, Alfred Perceval. (1909).''The Irish Fairy Book'' London: T. Fisher Unwin, Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
22 November 2017
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1842) ''Tales of the Jury-Room in Three Volumes. Vol.1'' London Maxwell and Co. Publishers Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1842) ''Tales of the Jury-Room in Three Volumes. Vol.2'' London Maxwell and Co. Publishers Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1842) ''Tales of the Jury-Room in Three Volumes. Vol.3'' London Maxwell and Co. Publishers Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1827) ''Tales of the Munster Festivals in Three Volumes. Vol.1'' London Saunders and Otley Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1827) ''Tales of the Munster Festivals in Three Volumes. Vol.2'' London Saunders and Otley Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Gerald Griffin, Griffin, Gerald (1827) ''Tales of the Munster Festivals in Three Volumes. Vol.3'' London Saunders and Otley Retrieved from University of Illinois Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
* Douglas Hyde, Hyde, Douglas (1890). ''Beside the Fire: A Collection of Irish Gaelic Folk Stories''. London: David Nutt Retrieved from National Library of Scotland via Archive.or
9 November 2017
* Douglas Hyde, Hyde, Douglas (1896). ''Five Irish Stories: Translated from the Irish of the "Sgeuluidhe Gaodhalach"''. Dublin: Gill & Son Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
9 November 2017
* Douglas Hyde, Hyde, Douglas (1915). ''Legends of Saints and Sinners'' (Every Irishman's Library). London: T. Fisher Unwin Retrieved from University of Connecticut Library via Archive.or
9 November 2017
* Joseph Jacobs, Jacobs, Joseph (1892) ''Celtic Fairy Tales'' London : D. Nutt
Retrieved from Wikisource 17 October 2017
* Patrick Weston Joyce, Joyce, Patrick Weston. (1879).''Old Celtic Romances'' London: C. Kegan Paul and Co., Retrieved from Harvard University Library via Archive.or
22 November 2017
* Patrick Kennedy (folklorist), Kennedy, Patrick (1866) ''Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts'', London: MacMillan and Company Retrieved from National Library of Scotland via Archive.or
15 November 2017
* Patrick Kennedy (folklorist), Kennedy, Patrick (1870). ''Fireside Stories of Ireland'', London: M'Glashan and Gill and Patrick Kennedy. Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
18 November 2017
* Benedict Kiely, Kiely, Benedict (2011). ''The Penguin Book of Irish Short Stories'' London: Penguin Books, . Retrieved 27 November 2017 . (Traditional Irish story translated from "The Stories of Johnny Shemisin" (no Date), Ulster Council of the Gaelic League * Edmund Leamy, Leamy, Edmund. (1906).''Irish Fairy Tales'' Dublin: M.A. Gill & Son. Ltd, Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Samuel Lover, Lover, Samuel (1831).''Legends and Stories of Ireland vol. 1'' Dublin: W.F. Wakeman, Retrieved from University of Pittsburgh Library via Archive.or
6 November 2017
* Samuel Lover, Lover, Samuel (1831).''Legends and Stories of Ireland vol. 2'' London: Baldwin and Cradock, Retrieved from Oxford University Library via Archive.or
7 November 2017
* Ethna Carbery, MacManus, Anna (Ethna Carbery). (1904).''In The Celtic Past'' New York: Funk and Wagnalls, Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
22 November 2017
* Seumas MacManus, MacManus, Seumas. (1899).''In the Chimney Corners: Merry Tales of Irish Folk Lore'' New York: Doubleday and McClure Company, Retrieved from New York Public Library via Archive.or
24 November 2017
* Seumas MacManus, MacManus, Seumas (1900). ''Donegal Fairy Stories'' New York: Doubleday, Page & and Company, Retrieved from Harvard University Library via Archive.or
22 November 2017
* McClintock, Letitia (1876). ''Folklore of the County Donegal'', ''Dublin University Magazine'' 88. Retrieved from National Library of Ireland o
15 October 2017
* O'Faolain, Eileen (1954). ''Irish sagas and Folk Tales'' London: Oxford University Press. ; . * Liam O'Flaherty, O'Flaherty, Liam (1927). ''The Fairy Goose and Two Other Stories'', London: Crosby Gaige. Retrieve
27 November 2017
. * Michael Scott (Irish author), Scott, Michael (1988) ''Green and Golden Tales: Irish Hero Tales'' Dublin: Sphere Books Limited ; * Michael Scott (Irish author), Scott, Michael (1989) ''Green and Golden Tales: Irish Animal Tales'' Dublin: Sphere Books Limited ; * Michael Scott (Irish author), Scott, Michael (1989). ''Irish Folk and Fairy Tales Omnibus''. London Sphere Books ; * Michael Scott (Irish author), Scott, Michael (1995) ''Magical Irish Folk Tales'' Dublin: Sphere Books Limited ; * Michael Scott (Irish author), Scott, Michael (1988). ''Green and Golden Tales: Irish Fairy Tales'', Dublin: Sphere Books Limited,; . * Sheridan Le Fanu, Sheridan Le Fanu, Joseph, (5 February 1870) ''The Child That Went with the Fairies'' ''All the Year Round'' pp. 228–233 Retrieved from Prelinger Library via Archive.or
10 April 2018
Republished in Sheridan Le Fanu, Sheridan Le Fanu, Joseph (1923) ''Madam Crowl's Ghost and Other Tales of Mystery'' M. R. James, James, Montague Rhodes (ed.) London: George Bell & Sons, Retrieved from Project Gutenber
10 April 2018
* James Stephens (author), Stephens, James (1920) ''Irish Fairy Tales''. London, MacMillan & Company, Retrieved from Project Gutenber
5 November 2017
* Jane Wilde, Wilde, Lady Francesca Speranza (1888).''Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland'' London: Ward and Downey, Retrieved from Cornell University Library via Archive.or
5 November 2017
* W. B. Yeats, Yeats, William Butler. (1888).''Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry'' London: Walter Scott, Retrieved from University of Toronto Library via Archive.or
20 November 2017
* W. B. Yeats, Yeats, William Butler. (1888).''Irish Fairy Tales'' London: T. Fisher Unwin, Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
20 November 2017
* Ella Young, Young, Ella. (1910).''Celtic Wonder Tales Book'' Dublin: Maunsel & Company LTD, Retrieved from University of California Library via Archive.or
22 November 2017
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aos Si Aos Sí, Fairies Fantasy creatures Irish folklore Irish legendary creatures Scottish mythology Tuatha Dé Danann, *