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Old Ways to New Days: The Folklore, Traditions and Everyday Objects that Shaped Ireland
Foreword by Dáithí Ó Sé
Step back into a world where turf fires warmed the hearth, water was drawn from the well, and stories told by flickering candlelight lit up the night.
In Old Ways to New Days, folklorist Shane Lehane brings the soul of Ireland's past to life in a beautifully woven tapestry of tradition, transformation and memory. From the magic of birth to the customs of death and mourning; from matchmakers and milking stools to butter charms and fairy lore, Lehane traces the arc of a society rooted in the land, as it evolved with the arrival of bicycles, electricity, cinema and the wireless.
At once scholarly and deeply personal, this is a celebration of how the old ways still echo in Irish memory and lore, even as the new days roll on. Wonderfully illustrated with dip-pen drawings, this is a book to treasure and a poignant reminder of who we were, and how we came to be.
Step back into a world where turf fires warmed the hearth, water was drawn from the well, and stories told by flickering candlelight lit up the night.
In Old Ways to New Days, folklorist Shane Lehane brings the soul of Ireland's past to life in a beautifully woven tapestry of tradition, transformation and memory. From the magic of birth to the customs of death and mourning; from matchmakers and milking stools to butter charms and fairy lore, Lehane traces the arc of a society rooted in the land, as it evolved with the arrival of bicycles, electricity, cinema and the wireless.
At once scholarly and deeply personal, this is a celebration of how the old ways still echo in Irish memory and lore, even as the new days roll on. Wonderfully illustrated with dip-pen drawings, this is a book to treasure and a poignant reminder of who we were, and how we came to be.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 12, 2025
Amazing book, best I have read in 2025. Born in 1968, so lucky of this content resonates with me. It is very educational but adds great context for where Ireland sits today across so many areas such as entertainment, transport, communications etc. excellent book.
March 18, 2026
thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in getting to know the real truth , superstitions, folklore and bizarre but culturally structural base of ireland. Leabhar saibhir agus iontach.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews