r/IrishFolklore

(Image credits: The National Archive)

Later on, I will be speaking to Anne Williamson of the Fionn MacCumhaill Players about the tragic case of Bridget Cleary in 1895, Tipperary.

Anne co-wrote the short film "Bridget" with Brian Clancy and recently won an award at the IndieX Film Fest Annual Awards in Los Angeles.

On March 15th, 1895 Bridget Cleary's husband, Micheal Cleary, burned her to death following several nights of torture. He was not alone. Family members within the household aided in the interrogations and did not stop him as an innocent woman was murdered.

Why? Because Michael Cleary believed Bridget was taken away by the fairies. That in her place was a changeling.

This dark part of Ireland's history occurred in the town of Ballyvadlea. Anne Williamson is from Mullinahone, a few miles down the road and she grew up hearing the stories of Bridget passed down to her by her grandfather.

"Bridget", the short film, was created to vindicate the woman formerly known as Bridget Boland. You will hear all about the tragic case in an upcoming episode of The Other Ireland podcast.

#irishfolklore #bridgetcleary

I requested many of you's help to find me sources on The Morrigan, and sadly my friend and I got so caught up with uni and whatnot we only had 2ish months to slowly worl on the costume, which means we couldn't add many specific symbols or references to stories The Morrigan is involved with.

But after 2 Months, here are the results.

The masks are one child, one middle aged and a old face, all with a gash from a confrontation with Cu'chalainn. Made from air dry clay, wires inside as support and hopes and prayers.

Edit: we also tried to drag the cloak through a bunch of different stuff to make it dirty af. Which kind of worked. Also there was not enough feathers or feather boas to cover the fully cloak (i forgot to buy large packs online oops)

I've created a map showing the distribution of all recorded cists across Ireland. Official definition is included on the map for reference, but my layman version is that these are essentially stone 'boxes' used to hold burial goods typically dating to the Bronze and Iron Ages in Ireland.

The map is populated with a combination of National Monument Service data (Republic of Ireland) and Department for Communities data for Northern Ireland. The map was built using some PowerQuery transformations and then designed in QGIS.

I've taken on helpful feedback from various comments so please do keep them coming as I love making these maps and am keen to keep improving on them.

I present to you the festival of Lir, held for his children who have been transformed into swans through a scornful spell. They are: Fionnuala, Aodh, Fiachra, and Conn. 🦢🦢🦢🦢

The tragedy of the children of Lir is the most popularly known Gaelic myth. I was recently commissioned to create an ink and watercolor illustration using this myth, and I chose this moment to illuminate.

Without a doubt the largest crowd of individuals I have illustrated. Sometimes it’s necessary for lack of time, but I hesitate to drawn faceless crowds of generic bodies. I love the quality of seeing somebody and their soul or essence is manifest in their costume and action.

See more of my work adapting Irish mythology: https://oreganillo.org/irish-mythology

I am open to commissions in this mythic tradition and subjects far beyond, the sky is the limit: https://oreganillo.org/commission

I present 'Retreat of the Tuatha Dé Danann', a piece of artwork I created for the late Manchán Magan's penultimate book, 'Ireland in Iceland: Gaelic Remnants in a Nordic Land'. This piece was featured in Manchan's essay for the Irish Times Weekend paper.

This is one of 120+ pieces I illustrated for the book using brush, pen, ink and watercolor.

In the age of AI, the foundation of all my work is traditional media on paper. Here I have applied open source photography of a sky to compliment the foreground illustration. This mixed media approach is a continuing element of my work.

I am deeply proud of 'Ireland in Iceland: Gaelic Remnants in a Nordic Land', to have collaborated with Manchán, a great mentor and a true druid. Please seek it out.

https://oreganillo.org/ireland-in-iceland-gaelic-remnants-in-a-nordic-land

I am Aodh Ó Riagáin AKA Oreganillo, I am working in the tradition of the filí, the ancient poets, preserving and adapting Irish myth and folklore across multiple mediums, from illustration to animation, comics and film. I am devoted to producing richly realised and epic renditions of these myths for the purpose of my own decolonisation, and to hopefully aid others in the same quest. This is a vocation, a lifelong quest for me.

https://oreganillo.org/irish-mythology

I am open for commissions on subjects of Gaelic matters or otherwise: https://oreganillo.org/commission

Follow my work: https://www.instagram.com/oreganilloartworks/

If you dig this and want to support this filí: https://ko-fi.com/oreganillo

Episode 2 of The Other Ireland podcast is out now wherever you get your podcasts.

We hear from two childhood friends from Dublin about their eerily similar experience back in 2010.

They were on a summer trip in Arklow, County Wicklow. You will have to listen to find out the rest.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/033OMrX2kbDfq56ut25vmN?si=Cb8Ho9AsTA2UuPX0NEFt-w&utm\_source=copy-link&sci=spotify%3Acard-config%3A5MAmYin4OjZRpJWXyAwLj5

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-other-ireland/id6790715865

If you have a story from Ireland about Irish folklore, local legends, the supernatural or anything you can't explain contact theotherirelandpod@gmail.com