A rich heritage of Irish storytelling

Irish stories. Image copyright Ireland Calling

Ireland has a rich heritage of storytelling … and its long and sometimes troubled history has provided plenty of material.
Irish stories. Image copyright Ireland Calling
There are folk tales and fairy stories dating back over thousands of years. There are stories of saints and sinners, heroes and villains, victory and defeat, sacrifice and betrayal…and some great and often heartbreaking love stories.
Here we try to tell some of the best of these stories.
Love stories – from the ancient legends of Tristan and Isolde to modern tragedy of Joseph Plunkett and Grace Gifford.
Fairy stories – magic spells, princes and princesses, witches, ghosts, poor boys who make their fortune, poor girls who marry the hero…and, of course, lots of leprechauns.