Celtic Tales of Magic and Enchantment: Mythical Tales From Irish Folklore

by Liam Mac Uistín

The world of the Celts was rich with mythology, magic, and tales of the supernatural. They believed strongly in the power of the word, and their stories were passed on in Irish from one generation to the next, keeping old and young alike spellbound. These eight stories reflect the magic and enchantment of legends and myths that date back centuries, featuring magicians, warriors, kings, queens, princes, and princesses.

Genres: Classics, Mythology, Fairy Tales, Fiction, Fantasy, Irish Literature

192 pages, Hardcover

First published May 27, 2014

About the author

Liam Mac Uistin is a well-known author and playwright. His versions of ancient Irish stories and legends have been published in the Irish language by An Gúm. His plays for stage, television and radio have been produced in many European countries and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. His television play The Glory and the Dream won the Radio Telefís Éireann award.

His stage plays have been produced at the Abbey and Peacock theatres in Dublin. His stories and plays have received many literary awards.

Liam Mac Uistin is the author of The Táin, (O'Brien Press) a hugely popular book for the young reader on this great Celtic epic.

He lives in Dublin with his family.

Reviews

[Bianca Scharff · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been a great year for picking books. Another good one but then again I am severely biased when it comes to fairytales. This was great.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the stories told by Liam Mac Uistin. I've always loved fairy tales and mythology and these are no different. But perhaps I've read too many or nothing can compare to those fond childhood memories of reading under the covers with just enough violence and romance for a 6 year-old to compare current books.

Read this if you haven't read a lot, okay devoured books on mythology but are interested or if you like stories from/about Ireland.

[Kaye Salter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Title is a little misleading on the book. Did not it was only two stories and both were Irish. Was also poorly written (example page 18 "He had grown into a strong and handsome young man and when King Cormac had become old and weak Mir had helped his with his duties. A great cheer rang out when the crown was placed upon Mir's head and he was presented with the king's magic staff." The author used "and" FOUR TIMES in two sentence. That's just crazy to me.)

[Colin Power · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of Celtic tales. First half of the book has stories featuring Cuchulainn and the sons of Tuireann, among other famous characters. Second half of the book focuses on the Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) and the Fianna - and those stories have a bit more head-chopping battles. Really enjoyed the story of Oisin and Niamh.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stories in this book was a interesting read. They didn't exactly melt my heart or leave much of a lasting impression though. Honestly, only like 2 stories stuck out to me from the entire book. However, the writing was good and the book cover beautiful.

[Katerina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic little collection of tales from Irish mythology, with surprising bits of comedy in them! The stories are simply told, but this makes it an easy, pleasant read.

[Renae Wood · Rating 3 out of 5]

The stories are interesting. I think because these are stories passed down as spoken tales, the stories move really fast and not as verbose/descriptive as I like.

[Terry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little book on various Celtic myths and stories.

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing is fantastic - not simple enough to be insulting, but not so complex that I found myself drifting off. Mac Uistin has the perfect storyteller's voice, and kept me captivated to the very last page.

[Aleria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally finished it today. It was an on and off process but I would read this again. I've always wanted to read Celtic Fairy Tales. An after this I would like to read more and also read more books on Ireland or with a setting in Ireland. :)

[Robert Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic work of magical Irish tales. I loved each story and the translation was superb.

[Riley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice array of enjoyable tales. The writing was nothing special, but it was a fun read.