Heartlore: Irish at Heart

Cú Chulainn is battling his way through Quen Medb's army, a warrior a day and Medb is getting fed up, when she hears of a warrior the match of Cú Chulainn; his foster brother Ferdia, and she sets out to co-opt him to fight for her.

Medb finally gets a face to face with Cú Chulainn and can't reconcile his youthful appearance with the fierce warrior that they have been battling. His appearance notwithstanding, Medb knows that they must negotiate or she will soon have no army at the rate Cú Chulainn is slaughtering her men.

Medb, Ailill and their army are closing in on the brown bull of Cooley but they'll have to go through Cú Chulainn first and the bull himself has a bit of help from a goddess too!

Chúchulainn and Ibar are hurtling back to Emain Macha with the heads of the slain MacNecht brothers, but our young hero is not satisfied that this is enough, so he get a few more wild ideas . . .

Still with the boyhood deeds of the champion Cúchulain., lopping off heads and burning down castles, and he only seven years old!

I promised you that the The Táin Bó Cúailinge was an epic tale. In today's episode, we are continuing with the boyhood heroics of the champion warrior Cúchulain.

This is the story of how the boy Setanta became Cúchulain , the wolfhound of Culann

The epic tale continues as Fergus tries to warm Medb and her army of the living legend that is Cúchulain.

And we’re back continuing with the epic story of The Táin Bó Cúailinge. It’s a epic tale, so cosy up and settle in.

The story continues, Medb is determined to take the brown bull of Cooley by force and she gathers her troops to march to Ulster.

We continue this week with the epic story of the cattle raid of Cooley. This one will stretch over a few episodes. Cosy up and enjoy.

We join the bards after they have returned to Éire with their tails between their legs after having spent a year in Scotland - against Guaire's advice - seeking and failing to find the story of the Táin Bó Cúailnge for Marvan.

I spent the weekend in Gort and Kinvara in the beautiful county of Galway, and what do you know, King Guaire's castle is in Kinvara. A little about the Cuckoo Fleadh in Kinvara and then back to the bards. Seanchán and crew head off to Scotland in search of the Táin Bó Cualigne.

The tides have turned and Seanchán is going to get a taste of his own medicine.

This coming weekend we celebrate Bealtaine, or May day, a sacred fire festival midway between Ostara - the spring equinox and Litha - the summer solstice. Tune in to hear more about this tradition.

The shenanigans of the rock star poets of Ancient Éire continue. This week we see Seanchán getting into it with the mice and with Irusan, the King of Cats.

The shenaigans continue and Guaire knocks it out of the park producing every outrageous desire of the bards - but are they happy? Not on your nelly!

This week I am continuing with Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe or as I call it, the rock star poets of Ancient Ireland. Wait til you hear some of their requests and the hoops that their poor host Guaire had to jump through lest he be satirised for failing!

In ancient times, it was believed that a poet could cause death by satire, so poets and bards were treated with the highest of respect and not a little fear, and boy did they abuse it. They were the rock stars of their day. This is the first of a series from Imtheacht na Tromdhaimhe - The Proceedings of the Great Bardic Institution, published by The Ossianic Society in 1857.

Happy Equinox. We open with a flavour of Ostara, the Spring equinox and move into a tale of the most feared pirate on the seas in the 16th Century: the legend that is Gráinne Mhaol or Grace O'Malley.

On the even of St Patrick's day, I give a little history of Croagh Patrick and Patrick's triumph over Crom Cruach!

This week I am sharing more stories of the little folk from all around the country from the wonderful Schools' Collection.

In this episode we meet Cessair, who brought the first settlers and animals to Éire. We also meet Éiru, Fodhla and Banba, three sisters who ruled over the land with their husbands.

Tales from Ireland and a little further afield about the Crow family, including Raven, Jackdaw and Magpie

When beloved High King Cormac Mac Airt met Mannanán Mac Lír.

More on Brigid, the Cailleach and Síle na Gig, and how a Celtic Pagan Goddess transitioned to being a Roman Catholic saint.

Celebrating Imbolc and the patron saint/Goddess of Eireann, Brigid. This is my version of the story of Brigid and the Cailleach.

It's time for the sea god to have his own episode!

Cormac Mac Airt is hailed as the greatest High King of Ireland.

Stories of two of Ireland's most well known fairy doctors; Biddy Early and Moll Anthony

Stories and traditions of Nollaig na mBán, January 6th.

Some New Year Traditions of old., and a story of Oisín, son of Fionn MacCumhaill

A tongue in cheek telling of the Nativity for the Dublin audience. Author unknown

Christmas stories, rhymes and traditions

Tales of the Spailpín - the wandering farmhand

A different origin story

Fairy abductions, rescues and stories about cows!

Where to build and where not to build your house, and stories of fairy abductions and interference.

Meet the Cait Sídhe, Grashopper Green and a young mouse.

In today's episode we meet the Sídhe femme fatale and the Sluagh - the Host.

Today’s episode is all about vengeful ghosts, vampiric monsters and the divil himself.

It's almost Hallowe'en and it's time for some ghost stories. Was Dracula an Irish man? Did you know we have our own headless horseman? Did you know that the tradition of carving pumpkins came from Ireland? All this and more in today's episode.

Today we meet the Cailleach's Slavic cousin Baba Yaga

The sacred crone, the winter hag, she has many names. In this episode we get to know her a little better.

The concluding episode in this four part epic, revealing the fate of the children of Tuireann and concluding with the defeat of the Formorians by the Tuatha Dé Dannan in the second battle of Moytura.

Part 3 of a 4 part epic tale of Oidhe Chloinne Tuireann -The Fate of the Children of Tuireann leading to the defeat of the Formorians by the Tuatha Dé Dannan in the second battle of Maigh Tuiread.

In this episode, we are continuing with a multi episode story of the second battle of Maigh Tuiread and Oidhe Chloinne Tuireann - The Fate of the Children of Tuireann.

Today we are going to begin a multi episode story, meeting NuadaAirgetlám - Nuada of the Silver Arm, Lugh Lámhfada and the children ofTuireann, and ending with the second battle of Maigh Tuiread in which theTuatha Dé Dannan defeat the Formorians.

The fifth and final part of this epic story.

Oops, I lied, it's not the final part. It's the penultimate episode in our thrilling story from The Schools Collection