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Meeting the Other Crowd : The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland
"The Other Crowd," "The Good People," "The Wee Folk," and "Them" are a few of the names given to the fairies by the people of Ireland. Honored for their gifts and feared for their wrath, the fairies remind us to respect the world we live in and the forces we cannot see. In these tales of fairy forts, fairy trees, ancient histories, and modern true-life encounters with The Other Crowd, Eddie Lenihan opens our eyes to this invisible world with the passion and bluntness of a seanchai, a true Irish storyteller.
351 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2003
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2233 people want to read
About the author
Eddie Lenihan
23 books76 followersProbably the best known Seanachai (storyteller) in Ireland. He inspired the character of Ferry Dan/The Great Seanachai in award winning animation Song Of Sea.
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December 10, 2023Lenihan celebrates "hidden Ireland, a land of mysterious taboos, dangers, otherwordly abductions, enchantments, and much more" by interviewing rural "farmers, fishermen, tradespeople [and] laborers" and transcribing their stories of the Good People verbatim, replete with verbal pauses, tangential thoughts and wandering asides.
The Good People and every one of these stories are real, Lenihan insists, though when inconsistencies rear their ugly heads, Lenihan reminds us that inconsistencies arise because these stories are produced by people with vivid imaginations.
The Good People and every one of these stories are real, Lenihan insists, though when inconsistencies rear their ugly heads, Lenihan reminds us that inconsistencies arise because these stories are produced by people with vivid imaginations.
April 27, 2012
This is a wonderful and infuriating book. First, the wonderful aspects. It’s a remarkable collection of reminiscences and anecdotes, which all have the ring of truth, being accounts of “meetings” which have been handed down largely within families over some generations. The tellers, ordinary Irish people, commonly offer as confirmation of veracity, descriptions of the exact place where the meeting occurred, and/or the name of the family (or priest!) to whom the incident happened. It feels impossible to gainsay such a sincere simplicity of belief – that if one can actually go to the spot, or identify the people involved, then this should be incontrovertible proof that the story is true. Furthermore, the entire book has a consistent, enjoyably ethnic tone, in the coloring of Irish vernacular speech, without ever becoming either densely idiomatic in the grammar, or phonetically complicated in the spelling (thanks, no doubt, to the talented editing of C.E. Green).
The general tone, with its almost matter-of-fact references to “The Other Crowd,” “The Good People,” or “Them,” characterizes Ireland as a place where ancient mysteries are still vitally alive in the hearts and souls of the people. Indeed, Mr. Lenihan, storyteller and collector of these accounts, asserts that there are “few convinced skeptics” in Ireland, even today; and that once he has broken the ice with some of his own stories, individuals from almost any walk of life can themselves often turn out to have an uncanny tale to contribute. Moreover, eschewing coyness, he states in so many words, that he himself is a believer – refreshing honesty in a chronicler of ethnographic material which deals with the paranormal.
The book has been divided into three sections, on the general topics of “Who they are and what they want,” “Fairy places and signs of their presence,” and “Gifts, punishment, and other outcomes of fairy encounters,” although these are fairly arbitrary categories, because many of the stories could easily be ascribed to at least two, if not all three. Most of the accounts are in the two-to-six page range, with a few rather longer ones, particularly the two opening tales, and the final one. Still, the longest only runs seventeen pages. So, it is convenient to pick up and read in short increments – an easy, uncomplicated read for anyone whose days tend to be rather full.
An interesting editorial choice, is the incorporation, at the end of each tale, of a commentary by Mr. Lenihan. In these, he employs an analytical, generally sociocultural tone, pointing out interesting or significant details, comparing and contrasting these to details in other accounts, and sometimes aspiring to explicate both the thinking of the person or persons having the fairy encounter, and/or the attitudes of the Fairies themselves. Less productive, in my view, is the use of introductory quotes, which, while usually having something relevant to say about Fairies, are too fragmented for my taste, and seem excerpted from interviews that have not been deemed worth complete inclusion in this volume. Without providing any story context, for me these add nothing to the credibility factor, and only serve as a tease, with no payoff.
And now for the most infuriating aspect – the very frequent referral to Christian beliefs and/or doctrine, in attempting to explain the existence of the Fairies themselves, and also their apparently arbitrary behaviors. According to the book’s information, there is a persistent Irish belief that fairies are, in fact, fallen angels – too bad for Heaven, too good for Hell. Here is the introduction to the first story: “The Other Crowd, they’re the Devil’s crowd. I wouldn’t be for saying that them’d see Heaven. No.” But like all the other top-of-story quotations, we are not told who it is asserting this. It introduces a fairy encounter on the part of a (Catholic) parish priest. A man, presumably one of Them, wants the priest to tell him, “What’s going to happen to the Good People on the Day of Judgment.” The next story is similar – a priest is asked, “Will the fallen angels ever be saved?”
For me as a reader, these sorts of concepts are a real stumbling-block, since I believe in neither the Devil, nor Heaven, nor a Day of Judgment. So I think that if Fairies do exist (and I certainly feel no need to dispute their reality) then they surely have existed since long before Christian conversion overtook Ireland. No doubt, in the absence of such Bible-based beliefs as Heaven, Hell, angels, devils, and the possibility of offending one all-powerful deity and thereby “falling,” the early Celts would more likely have perceived the Fairies as a separate but equal order of beings, as natural to this planet as ourselves – not damned, not corrupt, only Other from us humans, and for that reason, diverging from us in their culture and ethos.
Of course, throughout the world, virtually all traditional cultures know of other kinds of people – who live in a world parallel to our own, who may appear in different sizes, who only seem able to cross the Veil into our world at certain times, and who may be sometimes helpful, sometimes spiteful. These other Folk include the Hawaiian Menehune, Russian Rusalkas, German Kobolds, and the Little People of the Passamaquoddy Indians (as described by Katharine Briggs, in "An Encyclopedia of Fairies"). Of course, in traditional, indigenous belief systems, such Folk are not believed to be corrupt, “fallen” beings – but rather, simply another race or species, with moral standing equal to ourselves. Even Scottish folklore identifies two distinctly different types of Fairies – the kindly, helpful “trooping” ones of the Seelie (Blessed) Court, and the mostly solitary, malevolent denizens of the Unseelie Court. If this is also part of the Irish belief system, yet there is no mention of any such concept anywhere in the volume. In my reading of the present volume, any idea of the Fairies as naturally-existing, earth-evolved beings, seems to have been completely subsumed by now, in this “fallen angels” superstition. All the Irish Fairies appear equally damned and malevolent.
So, in that regard, the book regrettably left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. It does provide a wealth of detail in regard to Irish Fairies’ interests (protecting the sovereignty of their own particular patches of Earthly real estate, such as “forts,” whitethorn bushes, and roads) and behaviors (speaking Irish Gaelic, dancing, playing music and games, feasting, and especially kidnapping, or “carrying,” humans to the Other Side). But for me it is far more informative about Irish sociocultural attitudes of the past two centuries, than revelatory about what might be the true nature of that Other Crowd.
Finally, in my opinion, Mr. Lenihan draws an erroneous conclusion, in supposing that due to the modernization of Ireland, and the increase of technology and urbanization, both the stories and beliefs are going to die out soon. In my view, the upsurge of a general interest in metaphysics, paranormal experience, and altered states of consciousness, which began in the 1960s, shows no sign of waning. This should mean that there are now probably more people intentionally cultivating their own awareness of other, subtle planes of existence, than there have been at any time since the start of the Spanish Inquisition. So, if the Good People are real (for which the entire book tends to argue), then surely They are not going anywhere – at least, not unless we humans manage to eradicate all other life from the planet, in the process of eradicating ourselves. And as long as The Other Crowd exist, I expect They will continue to find ways to interact with those who are open to meeting them.
The general tone, with its almost matter-of-fact references to “The Other Crowd,” “The Good People,” or “Them,” characterizes Ireland as a place where ancient mysteries are still vitally alive in the hearts and souls of the people. Indeed, Mr. Lenihan, storyteller and collector of these accounts, asserts that there are “few convinced skeptics” in Ireland, even today; and that once he has broken the ice with some of his own stories, individuals from almost any walk of life can themselves often turn out to have an uncanny tale to contribute. Moreover, eschewing coyness, he states in so many words, that he himself is a believer – refreshing honesty in a chronicler of ethnographic material which deals with the paranormal.
The book has been divided into three sections, on the general topics of “Who they are and what they want,” “Fairy places and signs of their presence,” and “Gifts, punishment, and other outcomes of fairy encounters,” although these are fairly arbitrary categories, because many of the stories could easily be ascribed to at least two, if not all three. Most of the accounts are in the two-to-six page range, with a few rather longer ones, particularly the two opening tales, and the final one. Still, the longest only runs seventeen pages. So, it is convenient to pick up and read in short increments – an easy, uncomplicated read for anyone whose days tend to be rather full.
An interesting editorial choice, is the incorporation, at the end of each tale, of a commentary by Mr. Lenihan. In these, he employs an analytical, generally sociocultural tone, pointing out interesting or significant details, comparing and contrasting these to details in other accounts, and sometimes aspiring to explicate both the thinking of the person or persons having the fairy encounter, and/or the attitudes of the Fairies themselves. Less productive, in my view, is the use of introductory quotes, which, while usually having something relevant to say about Fairies, are too fragmented for my taste, and seem excerpted from interviews that have not been deemed worth complete inclusion in this volume. Without providing any story context, for me these add nothing to the credibility factor, and only serve as a tease, with no payoff.
And now for the most infuriating aspect – the very frequent referral to Christian beliefs and/or doctrine, in attempting to explain the existence of the Fairies themselves, and also their apparently arbitrary behaviors. According to the book’s information, there is a persistent Irish belief that fairies are, in fact, fallen angels – too bad for Heaven, too good for Hell. Here is the introduction to the first story: “The Other Crowd, they’re the Devil’s crowd. I wouldn’t be for saying that them’d see Heaven. No.” But like all the other top-of-story quotations, we are not told who it is asserting this. It introduces a fairy encounter on the part of a (Catholic) parish priest. A man, presumably one of Them, wants the priest to tell him, “What’s going to happen to the Good People on the Day of Judgment.” The next story is similar – a priest is asked, “Will the fallen angels ever be saved?”
For me as a reader, these sorts of concepts are a real stumbling-block, since I believe in neither the Devil, nor Heaven, nor a Day of Judgment. So I think that if Fairies do exist (and I certainly feel no need to dispute their reality) then they surely have existed since long before Christian conversion overtook Ireland. No doubt, in the absence of such Bible-based beliefs as Heaven, Hell, angels, devils, and the possibility of offending one all-powerful deity and thereby “falling,” the early Celts would more likely have perceived the Fairies as a separate but equal order of beings, as natural to this planet as ourselves – not damned, not corrupt, only Other from us humans, and for that reason, diverging from us in their culture and ethos.
Of course, throughout the world, virtually all traditional cultures know of other kinds of people – who live in a world parallel to our own, who may appear in different sizes, who only seem able to cross the Veil into our world at certain times, and who may be sometimes helpful, sometimes spiteful. These other Folk include the Hawaiian Menehune, Russian Rusalkas, German Kobolds, and the Little People of the Passamaquoddy Indians (as described by Katharine Briggs, in "An Encyclopedia of Fairies"). Of course, in traditional, indigenous belief systems, such Folk are not believed to be corrupt, “fallen” beings – but rather, simply another race or species, with moral standing equal to ourselves. Even Scottish folklore identifies two distinctly different types of Fairies – the kindly, helpful “trooping” ones of the Seelie (Blessed) Court, and the mostly solitary, malevolent denizens of the Unseelie Court. If this is also part of the Irish belief system, yet there is no mention of any such concept anywhere in the volume. In my reading of the present volume, any idea of the Fairies as naturally-existing, earth-evolved beings, seems to have been completely subsumed by now, in this “fallen angels” superstition. All the Irish Fairies appear equally damned and malevolent.
So, in that regard, the book regrettably left me with a sense of dissatisfaction. It does provide a wealth of detail in regard to Irish Fairies’ interests (protecting the sovereignty of their own particular patches of Earthly real estate, such as “forts,” whitethorn bushes, and roads) and behaviors (speaking Irish Gaelic, dancing, playing music and games, feasting, and especially kidnapping, or “carrying,” humans to the Other Side). But for me it is far more informative about Irish sociocultural attitudes of the past two centuries, than revelatory about what might be the true nature of that Other Crowd.
Finally, in my opinion, Mr. Lenihan draws an erroneous conclusion, in supposing that due to the modernization of Ireland, and the increase of technology and urbanization, both the stories and beliefs are going to die out soon. In my view, the upsurge of a general interest in metaphysics, paranormal experience, and altered states of consciousness, which began in the 1960s, shows no sign of waning. This should mean that there are now probably more people intentionally cultivating their own awareness of other, subtle planes of existence, than there have been at any time since the start of the Spanish Inquisition. So, if the Good People are real (for which the entire book tends to argue), then surely They are not going anywhere – at least, not unless we humans manage to eradicate all other life from the planet, in the process of eradicating ourselves. And as long as The Other Crowd exist, I expect They will continue to find ways to interact with those who are open to meeting them.
April 15, 2020
Perhaps the best part about this interesting collection of oral tales of the Good People of Ireland was the evidence of the wealth of respect that Mr. Lenihan has accrued over the years. Having taken countless hours to genuinely listen to older folks’ stories, his love of people and love of country shines brightly in each tale. Most of these anecdotes were cautionary but all transported the reader to the hills, forts, and dusty roads of traditional Ireland which is always a good place to be. 🍀
September 28, 2008
Meeting the Other Crowd can be read two ways. As a source book of authentic Irish folklore and the history of fairy lore, it’s good. Lenihan is a folklore preserver who’s combed his chosen habitat (southwest Ireland) for all the legends, fairy-tales and pub talk about Ireland’s mystic beliefs he could harvest, and this collection reads like no other book on fairies. It’s all about what neighbors have heard from neighbors and other relations, the real heart of fairy stories, and there ain’t no Tinkerbell. The Irish fairies were dangerous, their stories often fitting the framework of American ghost stories with added dangers of abduction like you’d find in demon lore (which some thought the fairies may actually be) and deformity and general misfortune if you crossed them. From this point of view it’s a 4-star book. The heart of traditional Ireland, a lost land whose memory is slipping away, thunders in every tale. The world revealed is fascinating. The only drawback is Lenihan’s heavy-handed analysis, which repetitiously warns of the dangers of disrespecting ancient traditions.
As a pure storybook, though, Meeting the Other Crowd is slaved to its oral roots. The fully formed stories of 6 or more pages are very satisfying, but many of them are not fully formed stories. Most of the 72 tales are just bare outlines of stories: ‘I once heard of a man who cut a tree from a fairy fort and don’t you know he died the next week.’ As a representation of Irish culture, that’s satisfying; as a story it’s not. So between that and Lenihan’s commentary, as a storybook I have to give this 2 stars. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, but it’s not an entertaining read on the strength of its stories alone (which are admittedly meant to be told, not read). You have to be interested in the culture they capture to be entertained, and then it’s more of a history book.
As a pure storybook, though, Meeting the Other Crowd is slaved to its oral roots. The fully formed stories of 6 or more pages are very satisfying, but many of them are not fully formed stories. Most of the 72 tales are just bare outlines of stories: ‘I once heard of a man who cut a tree from a fairy fort and don’t you know he died the next week.’ As a representation of Irish culture, that’s satisfying; as a story it’s not. So between that and Lenihan’s commentary, as a storybook I have to give this 2 stars. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad book, but it’s not an entertaining read on the strength of its stories alone (which are admittedly meant to be told, not read). You have to be interested in the culture they capture to be entertained, and then it’s more of a history book.
February 3, 2024
I loved this book. It brought modern irish technology and experiences together with myth and religion.
The belief of the author and his interviewees comes through powerfully. That and the range of the stories and their focuses was vast.
The communal story-telling and community seen in this book will always get me. The thought that fae are part of our community, that they are like us, living parallel but on a separate plane... Some stories showed their kindness and need for co-habitation with humanity, and others show their retribution for humanity's hubris. It reads almost like a book on climate: there's a need to be respectful of their habitation--and the respect we have for the fae ends up being respect for ourselves and "our" own land that we live with.
This makes me want to be a bard--to revel in the oral tradition of the past. To go to Ireland and travel the roads, experience the lives lived before me. Very romantic thoughts.
The belief of the author and his interviewees comes through powerfully. That and the range of the stories and their focuses was vast.
The communal story-telling and community seen in this book will always get me. The thought that fae are part of our community, that they are like us, living parallel but on a separate plane... Some stories showed their kindness and need for co-habitation with humanity, and others show their retribution for humanity's hubris. It reads almost like a book on climate: there's a need to be respectful of their habitation--and the respect we have for the fae ends up being respect for ourselves and "our" own land that we live with.
This makes me want to be a bard--to revel in the oral tradition of the past. To go to Ireland and travel the roads, experience the lives lived before me. Very romantic thoughts.
November 23, 2011
"Faeries, come take me out of this dull world,
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame".
~ William Butler Yeats
I'd like to start this review by making it perfectly clear how much I absolutely L-O-V-E-D this book!
Meeting the Other Crowd is made up of faerie (Sidhe) stories collected by traditional Irish seanchai, Eddie Lenihan. The stories focus on the interactions between humans and the faeries, and many are not as old as you might expect: Many Sidhe encounters recorded in this book have taken place within the last 100 - 150 years.
This book examines common themes about what faerie contact might mean for a human; why the faeries either seek human contact or do not wish for it; faerie traditions; human superstitions; how the church has influenced the current understanding of the faerie world; and why, with the increasing influences of the modern world, the instances of faerie encounters appears to be dwindling.
Every story in this book held me spellbound: From faerie Kings and Queens, to changelings and the mysterious existence of vessels such as Biddy Early, it was almost impossible to put down. Well-written and easy to understand, I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Irish folk and faerie lore. It is a topic I am eager to learn more about.
For I would ride with you upon the wind,
Run on the top of the dishevelled tide,
And dance upon the mountains like a flame".
~ William Butler Yeats
I'd like to start this review by making it perfectly clear how much I absolutely L-O-V-E-D this book!
Meeting the Other Crowd is made up of faerie (Sidhe) stories collected by traditional Irish seanchai, Eddie Lenihan. The stories focus on the interactions between humans and the faeries, and many are not as old as you might expect: Many Sidhe encounters recorded in this book have taken place within the last 100 - 150 years.
This book examines common themes about what faerie contact might mean for a human; why the faeries either seek human contact or do not wish for it; faerie traditions; human superstitions; how the church has influenced the current understanding of the faerie world; and why, with the increasing influences of the modern world, the instances of faerie encounters appears to be dwindling.
Every story in this book held me spellbound: From faerie Kings and Queens, to changelings and the mysterious existence of vessels such as Biddy Early, it was almost impossible to put down. Well-written and easy to understand, I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Irish folk and faerie lore. It is a topic I am eager to learn more about.
May 20, 2023
"Otherwise he would now be no more than just another member of that vast legion of great storytellers silent forever in the graveyards of Ireland"
Genuinely one of the greatest pieces of art I've read in my entire life. I'm so happy this exists in the exact form it does. Life-changing.
Genuinely one of the greatest pieces of art I've read in my entire life. I'm so happy this exists in the exact form it does. Life-changing.
May 22, 2021
This is great! Never did I think Fairies could be so scary. Its amazing to me that the author was able to collect all these stories from people that would otherwise be unknown and the stories themselves forgotten. This book although composed of different stories really paints a picture in your mind of beliefs and fears from a different time and lifestyle. Where oddities and fairy forts were always best left alone.
On a separate note: It also reminded me of a story from my grandfather who used to be a cowboy. He used to have to travel with a lot of cattle and camp with the other cow "men"? One night while camping in the desert they awoke to realize their blankets had been nailed to the ground among other strange occurrences in the night (footsteps things moving without cause). In Mexican culture they claim it was the "duendes" that were playing tricks on them for their amusement.
Now I can't help but wonder if there may be a different version of Irish fairies on this continent and was my grandfather sleeping in a clearing where the bushes formed a circle? I'll never know.
Either way if you ever think you are among the other worldly don't eat the food and say your prayers.
This book is highly recommended. A strange book fitting for a strange year.
On a separate note: It also reminded me of a story from my grandfather who used to be a cowboy. He used to have to travel with a lot of cattle and camp with the other cow "men"? One night while camping in the desert they awoke to realize their blankets had been nailed to the ground among other strange occurrences in the night (footsteps things moving without cause). In Mexican culture they claim it was the "duendes" that were playing tricks on them for their amusement.
Now I can't help but wonder if there may be a different version of Irish fairies on this continent and was my grandfather sleeping in a clearing where the bushes formed a circle? I'll never know.
Either way if you ever think you are among the other worldly don't eat the food and say your prayers.
This book is highly recommended. A strange book fitting for a strange year.
November 25, 2022
A very important contribution to Irish Folklore, this book documents "true tales" of The Other Crowd (sometimes called fairies) as told at the turn of the 21st Century.
A lot of these stories were told in the speaker's native tongue Gaelige (Irish) and they have been taken down, translated into English (where relevant), and repeated mostly in the teller's own words.
A lot of these stories were told in the speaker's native tongue Gaelige (Irish) and they have been taken down, translated into English (where relevant), and repeated mostly in the teller's own words.
August 24, 2020
I had the pleasure of meeting Eddie Lenihan when I studied abroad in Cork, Ireland in the fall of 2018. He came as a guest speaker to my Aspects of Irish Folklore class at University College Cork. His stories were beautiful and compelling, and his way of telling them was mesmerizing. ~Meeting the Other Crowd~ captures Eddie's mesmerizing way of telling stories as the seanchaí. I loved his book so much that I wrote--not one--but two separate papers on belief of fairies in Ireland. I used this book (along with many stories from the archive on duchas.ie) as a main source. If you are interested in learning more about Irish fairy belief and superstitions, I would highly recommend reading this book.
I will leave you with the beautiful way Eddie summarized fairy belief in Ireland: "I don't believe in the fairies meself, but they're there all the same."
I will leave you with the beautiful way Eddie summarized fairy belief in Ireland: "I don't believe in the fairies meself, but they're there all the same."
October 1, 2024
The Vicious Fairies ★★★★
The Fallen Angels ★★
A Fairy Funeral ★★
Refereeing a Fairy Hurling Match ★★★
A Queer Walk ★
A Skeptic’s Story ★★★★★
Man Carried to Play Football ★
A Midnight Ride ★
A Musicians Story ★★★★
A Fairy Request Thwarted ★★★
Man Borrows a Fairy Horse ★★★
A Fairy Cow ★★
An Old Woman Changes Shape ★★★
The Rats from the Ashes ★★★
A Strange Pig ★★★
Meeting the Black Dog ★★
The Eel ★★★
The Fairy Frog ★★
The Bush That Bled ★★★
A Fairy Bush Moved ★
Man Cuts Briars in a Fairy Fort ★★
Respecting the Ancient Forts ★
A Sportsman Who Won’t Interfere ★
Let Very Well Alone! ★★
Mysterious Sounds from Two Forts ★
A Pregnant Woman Goes into a Fort ★★
The Man in the Coffin ★★★
A House Built Between Forts ★★
The Fairy House ★★★
Planting on a Fairy Path ★
Electricity Poles Moved from Fairy Path ★★★
Fairies Violently Object to Their Path Being Blocked ★★
Man Gets Warning from the Fairy Wind ★★★
Three Brief Stories of the Fairy Wind ★★★
A Woman Gets Knocked with the Sí-Gaoith ★★★★
Strange Gravity ★★
Man Prevented from Passing ★★
Latoon Dead Hunt ★★
A Fairy Mansion ★★★
Meeting the Cóiste Bodhar, the Fairies’ Hearse ★★
A Personal Experience of the Banshee ★★★
Banshee Comes for Dying Man ★★★
Banshee Alerts Family ★★
Banshee Heard in Manhattan ★★
A Prankster ★
The Barefield Banshee ★★
A Transaction with the Other Crowd ★★★
The Fairies Repay a Favor ★★★
Fairy Races Horse to Repay a Favor ★★
Mare Taken for Fairy Battle ★★★
Hurler's Bravery Rewarded ★★★★
How the Sextons Got the Gift of Bonesetting ★★★
Man "in the Fairies" Moves Hay ★
Tom of the Fairies ★
Hurler with a Humpback ★
Biddy Early "Strange" as a Child ★
Biddy Early Helps, but a Price Paid ★★
A Clash of Power: Biddy Early Versus the Clergy ★
Three Stories of Priests Who Can See the Other Crowd ★
Holy Water Given As Protection ★★★
Girl Carried by the Fairies ★
The Girl Saved from the Good People ★★
Woman Carried Asks for Rescue ★
A Tragic Loss of Nerve ★★★★
A Woman Dies...and Remarries ★★
Garret Barry and the Changeling ★★
Two Changeling Stories ★★
A Tailor Saves a Baby ★★★
The Fairies Get Set on a Whole Family ★
A Rash Intervention Condemns Woman ★
Unbeliever Released from Fort...Barely! ★
The Shanaglish Weaver ★
The Fallen Angels ★★
A Fairy Funeral ★★
Refereeing a Fairy Hurling Match ★★★
A Queer Walk ★
A Skeptic’s Story ★★★★★
Man Carried to Play Football ★
A Midnight Ride ★
A Musicians Story ★★★★
A Fairy Request Thwarted ★★★
Man Borrows a Fairy Horse ★★★
A Fairy Cow ★★
An Old Woman Changes Shape ★★★
The Rats from the Ashes ★★★
A Strange Pig ★★★
Meeting the Black Dog ★★
The Eel ★★★
The Fairy Frog ★★
The Bush That Bled ★★★
A Fairy Bush Moved ★
Man Cuts Briars in a Fairy Fort ★★
Respecting the Ancient Forts ★
A Sportsman Who Won’t Interfere ★
Let Very Well Alone! ★★
Mysterious Sounds from Two Forts ★
A Pregnant Woman Goes into a Fort ★★
The Man in the Coffin ★★★
A House Built Between Forts ★★
The Fairy House ★★★
Planting on a Fairy Path ★
Electricity Poles Moved from Fairy Path ★★★
Fairies Violently Object to Their Path Being Blocked ★★
Man Gets Warning from the Fairy Wind ★★★
Three Brief Stories of the Fairy Wind ★★★
A Woman Gets Knocked with the Sí-Gaoith ★★★★
Strange Gravity ★★
Man Prevented from Passing ★★
Latoon Dead Hunt ★★
A Fairy Mansion ★★★
Meeting the Cóiste Bodhar, the Fairies’ Hearse ★★
A Personal Experience of the Banshee ★★★
Banshee Comes for Dying Man ★★★
Banshee Alerts Family ★★
Banshee Heard in Manhattan ★★
A Prankster ★
The Barefield Banshee ★★
A Transaction with the Other Crowd ★★★
The Fairies Repay a Favor ★★★
Fairy Races Horse to Repay a Favor ★★
Mare Taken for Fairy Battle ★★★
Hurler's Bravery Rewarded ★★★★
How the Sextons Got the Gift of Bonesetting ★★★
Man "in the Fairies" Moves Hay ★
Tom of the Fairies ★
Hurler with a Humpback ★
Biddy Early "Strange" as a Child ★
Biddy Early Helps, but a Price Paid ★★
A Clash of Power: Biddy Early Versus the Clergy ★
Three Stories of Priests Who Can See the Other Crowd ★
Holy Water Given As Protection ★★★
Girl Carried by the Fairies ★
The Girl Saved from the Good People ★★
Woman Carried Asks for Rescue ★
A Tragic Loss of Nerve ★★★★
A Woman Dies...and Remarries ★★
Garret Barry and the Changeling ★★
Two Changeling Stories ★★
A Tailor Saves a Baby ★★★
The Fairies Get Set on a Whole Family ★
A Rash Intervention Condemns Woman ★
Unbeliever Released from Fort...Barely! ★
The Shanaglish Weaver ★
March 21, 2010
Eddie Lenihan is one of the last seanchai, the old time storytellers of Ireland, and he's been collecting stories for decades, setting onto paper the fading light of the oral tradition. This book is full of the music of Ireland, that lyrical voice of Celtic storymakers and true fairy lore: sometimes dark and threatening, sometimes funny, always walking the line between the mystical and the hardtack reality of "back in them times." I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good story and the testimony of real people about a forgotten way of living. I've loved reading it.
September 24, 2012
All of these stories about fairies were told to the author by the older generations that are now grandparents. These were stories never written down but told by word of mouth.
There were only a few I really enjoyed. The rest of them seem to tell the same story over and over. A lot of the stories were similar to the last. That being said it is still cool to have the stories written down so generations can see the stories that some of the kids and adults grew up believing about fairies.
There were only a few I really enjoyed. The rest of them seem to tell the same story over and over. A lot of the stories were similar to the last. That being said it is still cool to have the stories written down so generations can see the stories that some of the kids and adults grew up believing about fairies.
January 12, 2021
Class. Looking at the concept of fairies in folklore, as a metaphor or literally, reminds us how small we are and that we’re just passing through this land. They can nearly be read as a personification of nature and the landscape that we have no right to interfere with. As Eddie says, the wisdom of those who respect the fairies is basically to respect yourself.
October 30, 2017
Americans who grew up on Disney probably think of Tinkerbell when they hear the word "fairy." These fairies are a whole different tribe - think more ghost story than fairy tale. This was the perfect book to read on cold November nights and left me dreaming about a tour of fairy forts in Ireland. A pleasure on many levels.
June 27, 2024
Magical. Thankful for Eddie capturing this bit of oral history, folklore -- something in between? -- before it was lost forever.
October 29, 2024
I really enjoy folk and fairy tales from other countries. This one of the Irish gentle folk did not disappoint.
December 31, 2017
Meeting the Other Crowd by Eddie Lenihan is a book that tells of many different fairy stories from different parts of Ireland, but in particular County Clare. The book is divided into three different parts, with each section having stories with a different theme. The stories contained in this book reminded me of the fairy stories I myself was told about growing up.
I liked how Lenihan wrote the stories down in the same way as he heard them, telling the story from the point of view of the person he heard it from. This offers the reader a wide variety of views and opinions, and makes the story telling more believable.
I also liked how Lenihan includes what part of the country he collected each story from. As I am from County Clare, these stories are of great interest to me as I have been to many of the places described in each of the stories.
In the stories collected we get a well-rounded view of what the Good People are like. The stories emphasise the importance of respecting them, and the often tragic consequences that come about if this is not adhered to. The stories also have other common threads running through them, for example that you should never eat any food offered by fairies, or you should never disturb fairy trees or forts.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about Irish Fairy folklore, written from the perspective of the ordinary people who have had encounters with the Good People, and I rate this book five out of five stars.
I liked how Lenihan wrote the stories down in the same way as he heard them, telling the story from the point of view of the person he heard it from. This offers the reader a wide variety of views and opinions, and makes the story telling more believable.
I also liked how Lenihan includes what part of the country he collected each story from. As I am from County Clare, these stories are of great interest to me as I have been to many of the places described in each of the stories.
In the stories collected we get a well-rounded view of what the Good People are like. The stories emphasise the importance of respecting them, and the often tragic consequences that come about if this is not adhered to. The stories also have other common threads running through them, for example that you should never eat any food offered by fairies, or you should never disturb fairy trees or forts.
I recommend this book to anyone who would like to know more about Irish Fairy folklore, written from the perspective of the ordinary people who have had encounters with the Good People, and I rate this book five out of five stars.
September 8, 2020
⭐️ ⭐️
Personal Score: D
Critical Score: B-
I understand that I can’t hate this book because while I don’t believe in fairies this book just wants you so much to believe in fairies, or otherwise shames you. I can be respectful of this cultural belief. But one, the stubborn and shallow approach to argument here makes for a weak stance, and two, that unappealing stance takes away from my enjoyment of the stories.
There are only a handful of pieces in here, all the longest ones, that are well delivered. Take these, and I am thrilled. But as they’re placed in a sea of confusing anecdotes, repetitive morals, and bores, the overall collection appears weak and bloated.
Despite all this, Lenihan is doing vital work by preserving these stories, even if this is but a small snippet, and even if the presentation of those stories fosters a tiny audience. If it weren’t for the disposable commentaries and bitter, rambling introduction, these stories would have been framed in a more accessible light.
I’m looking forward to reading Lenihan’s other works, truly, as I expect they won’t be as preachy and repetitive as this collection.
Personal Score: D
Critical Score: B-
I understand that I can’t hate this book because while I don’t believe in fairies this book just wants you so much to believe in fairies, or otherwise shames you. I can be respectful of this cultural belief. But one, the stubborn and shallow approach to argument here makes for a weak stance, and two, that unappealing stance takes away from my enjoyment of the stories.
There are only a handful of pieces in here, all the longest ones, that are well delivered. Take these, and I am thrilled. But as they’re placed in a sea of confusing anecdotes, repetitive morals, and bores, the overall collection appears weak and bloated.
Despite all this, Lenihan is doing vital work by preserving these stories, even if this is but a small snippet, and even if the presentation of those stories fosters a tiny audience. If it weren’t for the disposable commentaries and bitter, rambling introduction, these stories would have been framed in a more accessible light.
I’m looking forward to reading Lenihan’s other works, truly, as I expect they won’t be as preachy and repetitive as this collection.
March 10, 2009
I met Eddie Lenihan (one of the last of the traveling Irish storytellers) and heard him speak on this very subject when I went to Ireland on a class trip in 2006 (in May, no less - the time when the little people are on the move between their world and ours). He was absolutely beyond fascinating. Though not as interesting as hearing Eddie in person, the book is deliciously mesmerizing. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest or half belief (like me) in fairies - . . . I mean, the boys. Or the "other crowd" (we mustn't refer to them directly - shh!). In a word, I loved this book and I loved meeting Mr. Lenihan. Even if you don't believe (if you don't, you will), it's a fascinating and sad commentary on how rapidly the Irish cultural heritage is disappearing in the face of science and increasing development and industrialization. (See Eddie's introductory discussion of the whitethorn tree, the fairy tree.)This theme also applies universally and not just to Ireland. So read the book and look Eddie up on youtube.
November 16, 2014
A selection of oral tales collected by the great Eddie Lenihan, all from a geographical area familiar to me - Ferenka gets a mention, and Doon, and Kilaloe, so yay for familiarity. It's a cracking set of stories, though variable. Some are masterfully crafted, absolutely perfect exemplars of the form. Others are a bit more ragged and fragmented, and if you're in it purely for the craft it's a let down, but they all build up to a satisfying survey of folkloric beliefs and tales associated with the Good Folk. My favourite was the laugh-out-loud Skeptic's Tale, which isn't even a fairy story proper. The most arresting was one of the opening tales which came off at moments like a Wim Winders film, and the whole thing is rounded off with a gruesome tale of bloodcurdling horror, just in case you were getting in any way complacent.
September 7, 2008
This is a fascinating collection of as-told-to-the-author tales regarding Irish fairy sightings, each of which is followed by a brief commentary. The stories include familiar fairies, such as the banshee and less familiar ones.
In the particulars of the countryside and the personal narratives, this collection grounds each occurrence in a specific Irish mythology of place that is compelling in itself.
It would have been helpful to have a glossary for specific terms(such as "hurling")and perhaps an illustration of some of the less clear terminologies (such as a "fairy fort"), but the author does explain these in general as each appears and provides a translation for each Gaelic quotation used.
On the whole, an interesting and different set of tales.
In the particulars of the countryside and the personal narratives, this collection grounds each occurrence in a specific Irish mythology of place that is compelling in itself.
It would have been helpful to have a glossary for specific terms(such as "hurling")and perhaps an illustration of some of the less clear terminologies (such as a "fairy fort"), but the author does explain these in general as each appears and provides a translation for each Gaelic quotation used.
On the whole, an interesting and different set of tales.
June 24, 2023
I read this book many years ago, and enjoyed it even more now than I did then. It highlights for me the joy of reading and learning - as the years and stacks of read books accumulate, so too do the connections you make from one book to another. As I read again these stories of otherworldly encounters, I was reminded of many other books, songs, and poems in a similar vein, which all came together in a sort of magical tapestry.
I highly recommend the stories in this book - many are told with the cadence of the person who originally shared the story with Lenihan and Green, making them enjoyable to read aloud as well.
Tu credis in magica? After reading this book... it certainly does make you wonder.
I highly recommend the stories in this book - many are told with the cadence of the person who originally shared the story with Lenihan and Green, making them enjoyable to read aloud as well.
Tu credis in magica? After reading this book... it certainly does make you wonder.
October 1, 2018
This book is important for the purposes of preserving Ireland Fairy stories before those who know them are all gone, however they are somewhat repetitive for the reader. Compiling the best of them into another but shorter volume would probably get them into the hands of a wider audience.
June 13, 2009
The "landlords" loom almost as large in some of these stories as the Other Folk do. Lenihan collected these stories from the oral tradition, so they have a very colloquial feel.
October 26, 2021
This is an incredible collection of genuine orally collected folklore. I think some readers found the stories unsatisfying because they don't really have a beginning, middle, and end or really much of a narrative at all. I think that comes out of a misunderstanding. These aren't folk tales that have been refined into a literary form, but actual oral tradition that has circulated locally over generations and has the character of recounting real, though otherworldly, events. As we all know, things that happen to us don't always conform to the conventions of narrative. Anyway, this is a really essential documentation of real Irish culture and heritage, which is now fading into the past. Eddie Lenihan has done a real service by collecting these stories and putting them down here. The additional context he provides is very illuminating as well. Since these are stories to be told, I highly recommend getting the audiobook version.
March 11, 2023
About 20 years ago, I spent a minute in County Galway. One thing you learn is that you can’t swing a dead cat around without hitting an old castle or a person with a fairy story to tell (seriously, there was a bank inside a 13th century castle).
But like all cultural knowledge, whether you believe them or not, the messages that they pass on are what’s really important.
In fairy stories:
- No matter how technologically advanced we get, never disrespect nature.
- mind your own business.
- don’t turn down someone’s request for help, but don’t accept anything for it (especially gold).
- never eat food from a stranger.
- seriously, don’t eat the food.
- even if you don’t believe in fairies yourself, never disrespect them or others who believe.
What Lanihan does so well here is respect the cultural heritage that the fairy stories carry, acknowledging the importance of the knowledge and the very act of telling.
But like all cultural knowledge, whether you believe them or not, the messages that they pass on are what’s really important.
In fairy stories:
- No matter how technologically advanced we get, never disrespect nature.
- mind your own business.
- don’t turn down someone’s request for help, but don’t accept anything for it (especially gold).
- never eat food from a stranger.
- seriously, don’t eat the food.
- even if you don’t believe in fairies yourself, never disrespect them or others who believe.
What Lanihan does so well here is respect the cultural heritage that the fairy stories carry, acknowledging the importance of the knowledge and the very act of telling.
September 20, 2023
Fairy stories straight from the horse’s mouth, collected by legendary storyteller Eddie Lenihan, doing the work of a modern day Irish Grimm. The stories are written down more or less verbatim as they were told, usually by old people who heard the story so many years ago from the man who used to live there etc. Some stories are not much more than reports of sightings of fairies, ghosts, living dead, mysterious animals and such. The more developed stories are the most intriguing ones, often containing a lot of ubiquitous folktale material. While Lenihan seems to be a firm believer in the fairy world, the book is a nice collection of stories for someone like me, who thinks that they are a result of quaint, old, interesting folk belief. The unfilteredness makes them more authentic, though sometimes a little harder to understand, with all the irishisms and the unpolished language and unplanned story structure. Nevertheless an enjoyable read.
June 4, 2025
i love fairies.
even before i knew about the relationship between the irish & fairies
even before i knew what it was to be of irish descent
right from the get go
i was crazy about fairies. the toothfairy & i had a deep relationship & i breathed fairy tales. my mom, the daughter of an irishman, encouraged my love of fairies.
it was only when i was much older & noticed i had house fairies that tended to wreak havoc if i didn't "pay them off" as my kids put it---comparing them to the mafia, that i started learning about the special relationship the irish have with fairies.
this is a fun book. i for one realized that fairies are not to be messed with quite a while ago. but this book is magical as well as being a sober reminder that we should be paying more respect to the creatures who live amidst us whether we believe in them or not.
& stop fucking with nature.
even before i knew about the relationship between the irish & fairies
even before i knew what it was to be of irish descent
right from the get go
i was crazy about fairies. the toothfairy & i had a deep relationship & i breathed fairy tales. my mom, the daughter of an irishman, encouraged my love of fairies.
it was only when i was much older & noticed i had house fairies that tended to wreak havoc if i didn't "pay them off" as my kids put it---comparing them to the mafia, that i started learning about the special relationship the irish have with fairies.
this is a fun book. i for one realized that fairies are not to be messed with quite a while ago. but this book is magical as well as being a sober reminder that we should be paying more respect to the creatures who live amidst us whether we believe in them or not.
& stop fucking with nature.
May 12, 2021
I bought this book after a trip to Ireland in 2019. Our coach driver Dave recommended the book after sharing a few of the stories and showing us different fairy bushes around Clare, where many of the stories are set. It's so interesting to read and what raises it above other books of its kind is that Lenihan captured the voice of the storytellers he interviewed. It felt like being in Clare. So many fairy tale collections become sanitized over time and lose the flavor of the places they come from (think Andrew Lang), so reading this collection felt like a treat in addition to recognizing several locations from the trip.
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