Field Guide to Irish Fairies (Little Irish bookshelf) by Bob Curran

by Bob Curran

What is your best defense against a phosphorescent land sheerie? Can you really find contentment with a wealthy merrow wife? The answers are disclosed at last in A Field Guide to Irish Fairies, the first and only such guide available. Expertly researched and compiled by an authority on the subject, with detailed illustrations to help wayfarers identify the 13 major varieties of these elusive fairy folk of the Emerald Isle, this pocket-size volume is indispensible both in the field and back in the (relative) safety of hearth and home. With information on habitat, history, and fairy customs at their fingertips, readers will be well prepared for encounters with saucy leprechauns, kindly grogochs, and even headless dullahans. A word to the wise: Take it along, or take your chances!

Genres: Nonfiction, Ireland, Folklore, Reference, Mythology, Fairy Tales, Fairies

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

BOB CURRAN is an educational psychologist in Coleraine University. His interests are broad-ranging but are focused especially on history and story. He has written several books, including The Field Guide to Irish Fairies, The Wolfhound Guide to the Shamrock, Creatures of Celtic Myth, The Truth about the Leprechaun.

Reviews

[Mir · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little book, but it won't offer much to anyone who has already read more substantial work such as Faeries.

[Ljuba Grigorova · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tato maličká kniha se věnuje irským mýtickým bytostem. Podrobně popisuje 9 z nich (grogoky, Šediváka, bludičky, podvržence, mořské panny, púky, banshee, leprikóny a Dullahana) a v dodatku je po jedné straně věnováno Skřítku Máselníčkovi, dubovým mužíčkům, Rudému mužíčkovi a vodní víle.

To, co dělá tuto knihu opravdu kouzelnou jsou ale krásné ilustrace Andrewa Whitsona, bez nichž by byla tato kniha rozhodně nebyla tím, čím je.

[K. Anna Kraft · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a very simple haiku, as best as I could:

"The eyes peering out
From bogs and mists vary so
From the dainty-winged."

(Seriously though, this was a fun little read, coming from a novice in fairy lore. I think it would make a great gift for someone big on fairytales or looking for short story ideas.)

[Rose Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute illustrations. Very simple introduction to Irish fae folk. There are better anthology collections out there but this would be particularly cute to read along with younger children.

[Caitlin Vaille · Rating 4 out of 5]

How do I become besties with a Skeaghshee?? I need that energy in my life

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succeeded in being cute and fun. Pretty illustrations.

[Willow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mum put this in my Stocking one year and it is a wonderful little book.

[Lizzi Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ireland AND fairies?? This makes it one of my favorite books of all time. If you have an interest in either subject (especially both combined!) you won't want to miss reading it! :-)

[Rosalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

My gosh, it creeped me out, but, it creeped me out AND it gave me USEFUL information! So, I loved it of course!

[Aleria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fairies will always be my number one if anyone ever asked me what my favorite mythical creature is. Although to me there not a myth, there real, just hidden from us. I picked this book up because I've been fascinated by Ireland for some time (mainly because of my odd dreams), I've never been to Ireland but I would love to go one day. :)

[Natasha M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yet another souvenir I received from my friend who was visiting Ireland. I would say this is directed at children as it likes to keep up the illusion of the reality of fairies. This mostly covers the more famous and well known. I wish the illustrations were a little cuter, personally but that's just my own preference.

[Irene Lázaro · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un librito mono que es una introducción a las criaturas del folklore irlandés. Las ilustraciones me han gustado y he aprendido alguna cosa que no sabía, aunque tengo otros libros más profundos sobre este tema. Aún así, creo que cumple su propósito y se lee en una tarde.

[Jeanette Lascano · Rating 5 out of 5]

My son and I like it. It was scary for him at first with a few reading after you begin to have fun about how stinky grogochs are and why one should not be "a familiar" despite their industrious nature as it shall jump up and down your bed should you decide to sleep in on a Sunday morning.

[Kathy Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

charming illustrations. Fun tone.

[Cara (Wilde Book Garden) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

CW: Ableist language

[Vera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sehr schöne kleine Geschichten über die verschiedenen mystischen Wesen, die man in der irischen Literatur und Märchen so finden kann. Sehr schön gemacht und ein sehr liebevoll gestaltetes Design

[Aurumora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich finde es toll geschrieben und mit tollen Zeichnungen versehen.
Ich wünschte nur es wäre länger, mit mehr irischen Elfen.

[Lorie LovesBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable book, I loved the illustrations and found this very informative.

[Amanda Witt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but detailed book, with 3, 4 pages given over to each type of 'fairy' including leprechauns, and with colour drawings.

[Amalie Jaskmanická · Rating 4 out of 5]

☘️

[Robin Bunbury · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute little souvenir from Ireland, could have been longer. Really lovely <3

[Pattie Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just lovely. Beautifully illustrated and written.

[dolladore · Rating 4 out of 5]

a well written book, simple and could be read in one sitting. all mentioned fairies seem to have connections to christianity rather than more pagan beliefs

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute little book so glad I got it as a souvenir from Ireland.

[The Elves · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet little book, although its denizen are not so sweet, with nice illustrations, rather like Teresa Moorey’s the Fairy Bible, only much smaller, and yet, it has a few variations of faerie life that are not included in that tome. We like it and are glad to have it in our collection of Faerie lore books.

The Silver Elves,
authors of The Elven Tree of Life Eternal: A Magical Quest for One's True S'Elf

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! I learned so much about the folklore of Irish Fairies...mostly that Irish Fairies are considered to be very mischievous and sometimes, downright evil. This book dedicates a few pages to each, and talks about the history and geographical origin of each fairy. The illustrations are gorgeous in this edition. I'm sure I'll read it again sometime.

I bought this book when I visited Ireland in 2006. Started it and never finished it (needed this for a Reading Challenge.)

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

fun and enlightening read. Yes its not an extensive guide but gives great insight on lore, myths, and history. Pictures were very detailed and cute but there weren't very many. I think the only thing I didn't like were the very small text.

[Maurean · Rating 4 out of 5]

I luv this little book! It is what it is - a guide to the habits and habitats of various types of fae.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book as a souvenir during a vacation in Dublin. A simple guide to Irish fairy folklore, its good for what it is.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

whoever thought leprechauns, changelings, sherries, pooka, banshees and merrows could be so cool!