Transcriber’s Notes

Obvious typographical errors have been silently corrected. Variations in hyphenation and accents have been standardised but all other spelling and punctuation remains unchanged.

ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND

Ancient Legends
Mystic Charms & Superstitions
of Ireland

WITH SKETCHES OF THE IRISH PAST

BY
LADY WILDE

A NEW EDITION

LONDON
CHATTO & WINDUS
1919

OPINIONS OF THE PRESS
ON
ANCIENT LEGENDS OF IRELAND.

‘A work to be welcomed as a valuable addition to the literature of folk-lore and mythology; taken down, for the most part, from oral communications with the peasantry.’—Scotsman.

‘Few nations have a folk-lore so rich and imaginative as that of the Irish. Lady Wilde has studied it conscientiously, and is so well acquainted with the origins of her subject, that the perusal of her book is no less instructive than pleasing.’—Morning Post.

‘An important contribution to the literature of Ireland and the world’s stock of folk-lore.’—Evening Mail.

‘Lady Wilde’s book will be welcome either to the professed student of Irish antiquity or to the more general reader who finds delight in fascinating folk-tales delightfully recorded.’—Westminster Review.

‘Told with power as well as with simplicity ... a very interesting and readable collection of folk-lore.’—Graphic.

‘Lady Wilde’s book is delightful.... Amongst those best acquainted with Irish folk-lore, legends, and mysteries, we believe few will be found capable of adding many words to pages which could only have been filled by an Irish woman lovingly treating such a subject.’—Vanity Fair.

‘Those who care for legendary reading will find in this volume a source of much enjoyment.’—Northern Whig.

‘The myths and legends are all of deep interest and value.’—Knowledge.

COMPANION TO THE PRESENT VOLUME.

POPULAR ROMANCES OF THE WEST OF ENGLAND:

or, The Drolls, Traditions, and Superstitions of Old Cornwall.

Collected and Edited by Robert Hunt, F.R.S.

With Illustrations by George Cruikshank.

London: CHATTO & WINDUS, 97 & 99 St. Martin’s Lane, W.C.

[CONTENTS.]

PAGE
Introduction[1]
The Horned Women[10]
The Legend of Ballytowtas Castle[12]
A Wolf Story[17]
The Evil Eye[20]
The Stolen Bride[27]
Fairy Music[29]
The Fairy Dance[30]
Fairy Justice[32]
The Priest’s Soul[33]
The Fairy Race[37]
The Trial by Fire[39]
The Lady Witch[41]
Ethna the Bride[42]
The Fairies’ Revenge[46]
Fairy Help—the Phouka[48]
The Farmer Punished[49]
The Farmer’s Wife[52]
The Midnight Ride[53]
The Leprehaun[56]
The Legends of the Western Islands[59]
The Bride’s Death-Song[60]
The Child’s Dream[62]
The Fairy Child[64]
The Doom[67]
The Clearing from Guilt[69]
The Holy Well and the Murderer[70]
Legends of Innis-Sark—a Woman’s Curse[71]
Legends of the Dead in the Western Islands[75]
The Death Sign[75]
Kathleen[76]
November Eve[78]
The Dance of the Dead[80]
Superstitions concerning the Dead[81]
The Fatal Love-Charm[83]
The Fenian Knights[84]
Rathlin Island[86]
The Strange Guests[86]
The Dead Soldier[87]
The Three Gifts[88]
The Fairies as Fallen Angels[89]
The Fairy Changeling[89]
Fairy Wiles[91]
Shaun-Mor[91]
The Cave Fairies—
The Tuatha-de-Danann[93]
Edain the Queen[94]
The Royal Steed[96]
Evil Spells—
Cathal the King[97]
The Poet’s Malediction[99]
Drimial Agus Thorial[100]
An Irish Adept of the Islands[100]
The May Festival[101]
May-Day Superstitions[106]
Festivals—
Candlemas[107]
Whitsuntide[108]
Whitsuntide Legend of the Fairy Horses[108]
November Spells[109]
November Eve[110]
A Terrible Revenge[112]
Midsummer—
The Baal Fires and Dances[113]
The Fairy Doctress[114]
Marriage Rites[115]
The Dead[117]
The Wake Orgies[119]
The Ancient Mysteries[123]
The Power of The Word[129]
The Poet and the King[130]
The Sidhe Race[132]
Music[133]
Poet Inspiration—Eodain the Poetess[134]
The Banshee[135]
Queen Maeve[137]
Death Signs[138]
The Hartpole Doom[139]
Superstitions[140]
The Fairy Rath[142]
Fairy Nature[142]
Irish Nature[144]
LEGENDS OF ANIMALS.
Concerning Dogs[146]
Concerning Cats[151]
The King of the Cats[153]
The Demon Cat[154]
Cat Nature[156]
Seanchan the Bard and the King of the Cats[159]
The Bards[163]
King Arthur and the Cat[166]
Concerning Cows[168]
Fairy Wiles[170]
The Dead Hand[172]
The Wicked Widow[173]
The Butter Mystery[175]
Concerning Birds—
The Magpie[177]
The Wren[177]
The Raven and Water Wagtail[177]
The Cuckoo and Robin Redbreast[177]
Concerning Living Creatures—
The Cricket[178]
The Beetle[178]
The Hare[179]
The Weasel[179]
The Properties of Herbs and their Use in Medicine[181]
A Love Potion[185]
Love Dreams[185]
To Cause Love[185]
Medical Superstitions and Ancient Charms[186]
Against Sorrow[188]
To Win Love[189]
For the Night Fire (the Fever)[189]
For a Pain in the Side[189]
For the Measles[190]
For the Mad Fever[190]
Against Enemies[190]
To Extract a Thorn[190]
To Cause Hatred between Lovers[191]
For Love[191]
How to have Money Always[191]
For the Great Worm[191]
For Sore Eyes[191]
For Pains in the Body[192]
Against Drowning[192]
In Time of Battle[192]
For the Red Rash[193]
To Tame a Horse[193]
A very Ancient Charm against Wounds or Poisons[193]
For a Sore Breast[193]
For a Wound[194]
For the Evil Eye[194]
For St. Anthony’s Fire[194]
How to go Invisible[194]
For Pains[194]
For a Sprain[195]
To Cause Love[195]
For the Bite of a Mad Dog[195]
For Toothache[196]
For Freckles[196]
For a Burn[197]
For the Memory[197]
For the Falling Sickness[197]
For Chin-Cough[197]
For Rheumatism[198]
For a Stye on the Eyelid[198]
To Cure Warts[198]
For a Stitch in the Side[198]
For Weak Eyes[198]
For Water on the Brain[199]
For Hip Disease[199]
For the Mumps[199]
For Epilepsy[199]
For Depression of Heart[200]
For the Fairy Dart[200]
Various Superstitions and Cures[200]
To find Stolen Goods[207]
A Prayer against the Plague[207]
A Blessing[207]
A Cure for Cattle[207]
A Charm for Safety[208]
An Elixir of Potency[208]
For the Bite of a Mad Dog[208]
Dreams[208]
Fairy Doctors[209]
Charms by Crystals[209]
Alectromantia[210]
Fairy Power[210]
Omens and Superstitions[211]
That Forbode Evil[211]
To Attract Bees[213]
Superstitions of the Islands—
Concerning the Dead[213]
The Coastguard’s Fate[214]
Relics[214]
LEGENDS OF THE SAINTS.
St. Patrick[215]
The Well of the Book[216]
St. Patrick and the Serpent[216]
St. Patrick and the Princesses[217]
The Poison Cup[217]
Divination[217]
The Blind Poet[218]
The Story of Breccan[218]
Bardic Privileges[219]
St. Ciaron[220]
St. Martin[220]
St. Bridget[222]
St. Kieran[223]
St. Kevin[223]
Christian Legends[224]
Swearing Stones and Relics—
The Cremave[225]
Relics for clearing from Guilt[226]
Innis-Murry[227]
MYSTERIES OF FAIRY POWER.
The Evil Stroke[228]
The Changeling[229]
The Fairy Doctor[231]
The Poet’s Spell[233]
Charm for the Fairy Stroke[233]
The Farmer’s Fate[234]
The Fairy Rath[235]
THE HOLY WELLS.
The Holy Wells[236]
The White Stones[237]
The Sacred Trout[237]
St. Augustine’s Well[238]
The Grilled Trout[238]
Legend of Neal-mor[239]
St. John’s Well[240]
The Well of Fionn Ma-Coul[240]
St. Seenan’s Well[241]
Kid-na-Greina[241]
The Well of Worship[243]
The Bride’s Well[243]
The Irish Fakir[244]
Sacred Trees[246]
Tober-na-Dara[247]
Lough Neagh[247]
The Doctor and the Fairy Princess[248]
A Holy Well[250]
A Sacred Island[251]
The Lake of Revenge[251]
Scenes at a Holy Well[252]
Lough Foyle[252]
The Hen’s Castle[253]
Sliabh-Mish, County Kerry[254]
The Skelligs of Kerry[254]
POPULAR NOTIONS CONCERNING THE SIDHE RACE.
The Sidhe Race[256]
The Hurling Match[259]
The Ride with the Fairies[260]
The Fairy Spy[263]
The Dark Horseman[264]
Sheela-na-Skean[267]
Captain Webb, the Robber Chief[270]
The Mayo Captain and Feenish the Mare[271]
SKETCHES OF THE IRISH PAST.
The Bardic Race[274]
The Ancient Race[276]
The Antiquities of Ireland[278]
Early Irish Art[287]
Our Ancient Capital[295]
SIR WILLIAM WILDE ON “THE ANCIENTRACES OF IRELAND”[329]