The Anthology of Irish Folk Tales

by The History Press (Compiler)

This enchanting collection of stories gathers together legends from across Ireland in one special volume. Drawn from The History Press’ popular Folk Tales series, herein lies a treasure trove of tales from a wealth of talented storytellers.
From fairies, giants and vampires to changelings and witches, this book celebrates the distinct character of Ireland’s different customs, beliefs and dialects, and is a treat for all who enjoy a well-told story.

Genres: Fantasy, Mythology, Folklore, Short Stories, Anthologies, Fairy Tales, Irish Literature

288 pages, Hardcover

Published March 19, 2020

Reviews

[Annika · Rating 4 out of 5]

Folklore is at its best when told orally. Biddy Early's story in here is my favourite but it doesn't compare to the time when I had the pleasure of listening to it being told in a cosy, dim Irish pub in Cork. The storyteller making it her own, everyone around her intently listening.

[Megan Millard · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is organized by tales coming out of different counties and most of them were unfamiliar to me. These are true folk tales, mostly unfamiliar to me and told by storytellers from these regions. An excellent collection for people who have read Irish fairytales and are ready to add to their repertoire.

[Thomas Brassington]

This was a fine collection. I liked that it was organised as 1-3 tales per Irish county, but some of them felt like they were reaching a bit to be called folktales. Its also perhaps a bit long, given that the just under 300 pages are made up of tales that are about 2-4 pages in length...

[Aisling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Little hard to follow at times but an overall interesting and immersive read that compiles folk tales and mythology from all the counties in Ireland.

[Verity Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice long collection

This is a better than average collection of tales, although the best ones are toward the beginning. There are some modern tales mixed in, some of which are funny and others that don't seem to fit. But this is a nice long collection, and it should provide many hours of reading enjoyment.

[Sarah Huntington · Rating 4 out of 5]

I adore folk tales, and myths and legends. Reading them is the equivalent of hot chocolate on cold winter evenings. I loved this and maybe one or two stories didn't suit the collection, but the majority were great.

[Chelsey Saatkamp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very fun collection! I liked how the stories were broken up by county - a fun way to see the scope of Ireland's vast array of folklore. What a great country for fairytales, ghost stories, twisted history and urban legends.

[Bern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Irish folklore is one of my favorite things in life. Spooky, creepy, humorous, satirical, thought-provoking, teaching lessons. All bases are covered in this compilation.

[Leslie Ferrari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A delightful collection of folk tales arranged by county. Most are 2-4 pages long, making it a nice book to pick up when you have a few minutes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Anthology of Irish Folk Tales by Madeline McCully - If you love folk stories, this was a fantastic collection! Happy Reading!

[Ned Netherwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

a lovely collection

[Emma Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of stories, lovely to dip in and out of as most are only a few pages long. Would love to visit the places mentioned.

[S.J. McKenzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little too much of a mixed bag for my liking - ancient tales from the sagas mixed in with anecdotes from the 1950s didn't quite work out. Some great material, though.