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Irish Folktales by Fifth Class, Mother of Divine Grace School
First we decided on our eight favourite folk tales and the teacher wrote the title of each on a piece of paper. We put the pieces of paper into a box. We were split into groups of three at random and each group picked a folktale out of the box. One girl from each group drew a picture to illustrate the story. We hope you enjoy our choices: The Children of Lir, Labhra Loinsigh and the Asses Ears, Oisín in Tír na nÓg, The Mermaid Queen, The Salmon of Knowledge, Brieriu, Queen Meadhbh and the Brown Bull of Cooley, The Giant's Causeway. |
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The Children of Lir
King Lir and his wife Eva had four children, Hugh, Conn, Fionnuala and Fiachra. His wife died and Lir fell in love with another woman, Aoife, who made him happy again. King Lir often had to leave home but every time he returned he brought back presents for his wife and children.
Then on one visit he brought back a superb chariot for his favourite child, Fionnuala. Aoife grew extremely jealous and from that day on she changed. Aoife became jealous of Lir's children and she decided she would have to get rid of the children.
On a fine spring morning she told them they were going to visit their grandfather. The men harnessed the horses to the beautiful chariot. Along the journey, Aoife told the charioteer to stop the chariot at a wood by Lake Derryvarragh and ordered him to kill the children. He broke his spear in two and refused to do so. Aoife took out her wand as the children stood at the lakeside turned the children into swans and chanted, “This is the doom I lay upon you, three hundred years on Lake Darryvarragh, three hundred years on the stormy sea of Moyle and three hundred years on Inis Glóire.”
With that Aoife told them that only the sound of a church bell could break the spell. The children’s grandfather found out what had happened and he called for his son Lir and they headed to Lake Derryvarragh. Lir spent the rest of his life beside the lake listening to his children talking and singing until he grew old and died.
After three hundred years they moved to the sea of Moyle. After three hundred more years they moved to Inis Glóire.
Then they heard church bells ringing.
An old man Caomhóg stood outside the church and he was amazed to hear them
talking. He was very sorry when he heard their sad story. He
sprinkled holy water on them and they turned back into people. When they changed they
were very old people. They died and Caomhóg buried them. By Claire (illustration), Shauna and Christine |
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Labhra Loinsigh and the Asses Ears
Ugany the Great was King. He had two sons named Leary and Corac. Leary hated Corac since he was very young. Ugany died which meant that Corac would become king. Leary wanted to kill his brother and take his place as king. One day Leary sent a fake message to Corac saying that he had died. Corac went to visit the body bringing his son Ailil and his grandson Maon. When Corac bent over the dead body, Leary suddenly rose and stabbed him and Ailil. Maon got away but he was so shocked by what he had seen he could not speak. Leary became king. Maon was raised by the king of Fermoy. He was friendly with his daughter Moriath. Maon was then sent to France to his grandmother who was the Princess of Gaul. Maon and Moriath never forgot each other. Moriath wrote a song about Maon. A harpist was sent to the French court to play Moriath’s song. Maon was filled with memories and his voice came back. Immediately he promised to get revenge on Leary and went to Ireland with warriors. He won the battle. Leary was killed. Maon became king and he was known as Labhra Loingsigh. (Labhair means ‘speak’ in Irish). Maon married Moriath. He wore his hair long, covered with a hood. Each year a barber cut his hair and was killed. This was the one cruel act Labhra committed annually. One year the only son of a widow was chosen to cut the king's hair. The widow begged the king to save her son. Labhar decided not to kill him. The widow promised that her son would keep the secret. The widow's son swore that he would never tell that King Labhra had asses ears. Then he became sick and had to get a druid. The druid said that keeping the secret was making him sick. "You have to tell the secret or you will die from the sickness," said the druid. The son finally told the secret to a tree. Soon after the harpist needed a new harp and cut down the tree that the son had told the secret to. The harp was made and when the harp was played at Labhra’s hall, it sang out, "Labhra Loingsigh has ass’s ears!" The King was really embarrassed. He stood up and showed everyone his ears and he never killed any barbers again. By Amy, Shauna and Michelle. |
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Oisín in Tír na nÓg
One bright summer day Fionn and his son Oisín went out hunting by the shores of Loch Léin. Suddenly a beautiful girl came through the misty air riding a snow white horse. On her head she wore a lovely golden- bronze crown that shone on her head. She wore a lovely robe of the finest silk hanging down from her shoulders. Never had the Fianna seen such a beautiful lady on such a divine white horse. When she trotted over on her horse Fionn asked the lady what her name was? He also asked which country she had come from? She whispered in a soft voice, "My name is Niamh and my father is King of Tir na nÓg. Tir na nÓg is a land of happiness where men and women are forever young. Sickness and death are unknown. The trees bear fruit all year round and the flowers are always in bloom." Oisín listened to everything the princess said. Then he took her hand in his. He had already fallen in love with her. He said he would gladly go to Tir na nÓg with her and become her husband. Fionn sadly said goodbye to the son he loved so much. Then waving farewell, Oisín jumped on the horse behind Niamh and the horse galloped out of sight. Over land and sea the fairy horse ran and soon the green woods of Ireland were far behind. They rode through storm and sunshine and eventually when they saw fairy towers and magnificent palaces they had reached the golden shores of Tri na nÓg. They were welcomed by Niamh’s parents and lived happily for three hundred years in a snow white palace of the king of Tir na nÓg until Oisín felt homesick and decided he wanted to return to see his father and the Fianna. Niamh gave him her white horse to ride and she warned him not to put his feet on the ground because is he did he would not be able to return. Oisín agreed. He rode straight to the Hill of Allen but it was covered with weeds. He searched the countryside for his father and his friends but could not find them anywhere. On his travels he met some old men trying to lift a heavy stone. He leaned down from the saddle to help them but the saddle-girth broke and he fell to the ground. He became an old man immediately. The men on the road explained that Fionn and the Fianna were all dead for about 300 years. They brought Oisín to meet St. Patrick who baptised him before he died. by Vanessa, Clare and Aisling |
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The Mermaid Queen
There was once a man called Finn Mac Cumhail and he had a son called Oisin and when he was nine months old he used to drink a barrel of milk each day. Finally Finn decided that fresh fish might fill his young son better than milk so he headed off fishing early one morning. On his way he passed a gloomy haunted place called Geata Na Spioraid (the Gates of the Spirits) and an old cailleach (a witch) greeted him with a smile. She knew why he was there and told Finn that the only thing that would satisfy Oisin would be shark. She gave him something wrapped in catskin for bait. Finn looked over the cliff and took out the bait he received -a disgusting looking snail. Finn still used it. After a little while Finn felt something bite the bait. Finn was dragged over the cliff and pulled into the deep dark waters. He struggled for breath. Suddenly he looked up and saw that he had caught a mermaid. She took him to her queen. Finn was frightened because the queen had two sharks with yellow teeth beside her. He was told to kneel down by the queen, kiss the floor and tell everything. Finn started to tremble when he told that he was trying to catch the sharks. The mermaid queen told Finn that the caileach was a bad mermaid and that she lost her tail for trying to betray the mermaids. She challenged him to race the sharks back to the cliffs and gave him a ten minute head start. Finn wasted two minutes before he decided to go into the water. Soon he heard three splashes behind him. It was the sharks! Fionn hurled his rod at one shark’s eye. He kicked the second and punched the third. Fionn escaped from the sea but when he arrived home without fish his wife as furious. He had to go and buy six Kerry cows so that Oisín could be fed. by Clare Ailish, Orla |
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The Salmon of Knowledge
When Fionn was a baby his dad Cumhail was leader of the Fianna. Sadly, Cumhail was killed by the sons of Morna. Fionn’s mother knew that it was only a matter of time before the Sons of Morna would try to kill her son. Broken hearted she sent him away to be looked after by Bobdall, a druidess and Luacha, a woman warrior. In order to get knowledge they sent Fionn to Finégas, an old poet, who lived by the river Boyne. Finégas was so absorbed in learning he didn't tidy the hut where he lived and sometimes forgot to feed himself though he did eat the Hazelnuts of Knowledge that grew nearby! One morning he woke up and Fionn was at the door. The young man said he’d take care of Finégas in return for his education poetry and knowledge. One day as Finégas sat fishing, with his poorly made rod, the Salmon of Knowledge (the Bradán Feasa) swam by. Fionn agreed to make a proper rod for Finégas. He went fishing again. Suddenly the Salmon of Knowledge grabbed hold of the line and with trembling hands Finégas threw the fish up on the riverbank.
He scrambled to his feet and called Fionn. He told Fionn to bring the salmon in and cook it. He warned Fionn not to touch it. He never told Fionn why. The first person to eat the Salmon of Knowledge would have the wisdom of the ages.
While Fionn was cooking the salmon he burst a blister on the fish with his thumb. He burned his thumb so he sucked it until the pain was gone. Suddenly Fionn's head was filled with knowledge.
Finégas knew that Fionn had touched the salmon and tears of rage filled his eyes. There was nothing he could do. He knew Fionn would now leave him as he could teach him no more.
Fionn left Finégas and went to Tara to fight for leadership of the Fianna. By Jade and Danielle and illustrated by Kim |
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Brieriu
Brieriu was a poet at the court of King Conchubhair at Eamhain Macha. He was a trouble maker. When he kept a secret to himself a great purple and black boil appeared on his forehead the size of a man’s fist. He was very troublesome at drinking feasts. Brieriu had a mansion built for great feasts and invited Conchubhar and the Ulster nobles. He told them if they didn't come to the party he would make them kill one another. They all said they would come. Brieuiu spoke privately to the three great warriors Cúchulainn, Laoghaire Buadach and Conall Carnach and promised each one that they would get the best food at the feast. At the feast, the three warriors argue and fight over who was to receive the biggest portion of food (the champion's portion). Conchubhar's peacemaker Seancha had to separate the men and told them to divide the food until the best warrior was decided. Brieriu spoke to the warriors wives as well. He challenged the wives to race to try to be the first to get into his mansion. He locked the door and Cú Chulainn lifted part of a wall so that his wife could win. Cú Chulainn proved that he was the greatest warrior when he beat a giant, three savage cats, a phantom and Bodach an Chóta Lachna. At the end of the Táin, the story of the battle between two bulls (Maedhbh's brown bull and her husband's white bull), Brieriu came with the rest of Queen Maedhbh’s forces to judge the big fight. In the violent struggle, the bulls trampled on him and killed him. Brieriu’s name is remembered in the placename Loch Briceann (Loughbrickland in Co. Down). By Lindsay, Ciara and Emma. |
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Queen Meadhbh and the Brown Bull of Cooley
Queen Meadhbh killed her sister to become Queen of Connacht. She spent all her time plotting and fighting against Ulster. This struggle is known as the Táin.
She had several husbands. One of her husbands, Ailill, had a white bull (Finbheannach) and she wanted to have a bull that would be as good. She heard of a brown bull in Cooley in Ulster. The great Donn Cuailgne was so big that 30 boys could ride on its back at the same time! Daire Mac Fiachniu said she could have it when she offered to pay a high price. When her men went to collect the bull they boasted that they could have stolen the bull without paying and then Daire Mac Fiachniu said she couldn't have the bull at all. Maedbh was furious and she started the battle between Connacht and Ulster.
On the night before the battle the brown bull was sent to Connacht for safety. There the brown bull and the white bull had a battle. Brieriu was to be the judge. He was killed by the bulls. The brown bull won and carried the white bull in his horns. When the brown bull got home to Cooley he died of exhaustion. Written by Stacey and Niamh Illustrated by Kate |
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The Giant's Causeway
Millions of years ago there were active volcanoes in Ireland. The Giant's Causeway in Antrim was made by volcanic activity. It is made of basalt rock. It is called a causeway because it looks like roadway leading to Scotland there are basalt rocks on the coast of Scotland too.
This is the folktale to explain where the Giant's Causeway came from.
One day long ago there was a Scottish giant and an Irish hero called Fionn Mac Comhaill. Fionn built the road called the Giant's Causeway. One day the Scottish giant threatened him while he was building. He didn’t know what to do. But then he had a clever plan. His wife, Oonagh dressed him up as a baby and he got into a cot. When the Scottish giant came and asked for Finn, Oonagh said, “He is not here yet but you can see his son."
When the Scottosh giant saw the size of Fionn's son he got a fright and wondering what Fionn would look like. The Scottish giant put his finger in the baby's mouth to see how strong he was. When the baby bit him with all his might, the giant ran away terrified and was never seen again.
By Shauna G Mairéad C and Leanne O’D |
