Tales of Britain and Ireland

This first episode in the beginning (the beguyinning?) of my telling of one of England's formerly most popular legends. This episode features young lust, trivial class divisions, masculinity, Frenchmen, challenges to big dairy and exasperated emperor noises.  Amongst other things.  For musical credit and sources see https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-58-guy-of-warwick/   #mythology #legends #folktales

A Ghost Story episode for Christmas from the pen of.... well not the master teller of ghost stories. In 1911 Elliot O'Donnell released Scottish Ghost Stories. It was reviewed in the Observer alongside MR James's new work published at about the same time - More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. Of Scottish Ghost Stories the observer reviewer had this to say: "Beside Dr James’s Mr O’Donnell’s ghost stories are foolish and and feeble things… if any of the bogles whom Mr Donnel has now expounded in five volumes have any basis [in fact] we can only commiserate the ordinary ghost on its tameness, sameness and generally imperfect equipment of horror as compared with the eerie and ingenious spectres of Dr James." So of course in this episode I tell Elliot O'Donnell ghost story - which is distinctly Scottish. I hope you enjoy this imperfect equipment of horror nonetheless. Musical credits and sources at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-57-the-ghosts-of-donaldgowerie-house/ #GhostStory #Folklore #mythsandlegends 

Tales of Mermaids in the Peak District - notably far from the sea, also featuring Sailors, Witches and Watches, discussions of mermaid biology and by far my longest discussion section to date. If you like muddy holes and wet fishy women then this is the podcast episode that you've been waiting for. For sources and more information see the episode page on the website at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-56-peak-mermaid/ #Folklore #Mythology #Folktales #Mermaids #Peakdistrict.

A bloody Scottish tale featuring a locked room mystery, something fishy, unusual naming conventions (women only), and a little ENM to top it off.  Musical credits, sources and more on the episode page at Tales of Britain and Ireland.com #Folklore #Folktale #Fairytale #Storytelling #mythology #legends #celticlegend #celticmyth

Returning with a splash, this episode I'm telling one of my favourite Irish tales. We're on the west coast and knives are out, the waves are rolling in, there's weird women and weddings, strange things lurk in deep waters and perhaps by the end of the story we'll finally answer the age old question: is everything really better down where it's wetter? Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-54-the-knife-against-the-wave/ #Folklore #Myths #Legends #IrishFolklore

A bonus Halloween episode featuring a very well known terrifying tale of a supernatural encounter in Cumbria. Featuring: Victorians!  A perfectly named gothic villain, who is not a villain! A surprising Irish detour! Unnecessary speculation and intimation on my behalf! And an image which has haunted the nightmares of generations of English children. Or at the very least... mine. Have a great Halloween and Samhain everyone, hope you enjoy this trip to the incredibly pleasing to say... Croglin Grange. Musical credits and sources at: Tales of Britain and Ireland: Croglin Grange #Folklore #Myths #Legends #Storytelling

This time we've an appropriately huge episode of tales about British Giants - all stuck together with a vague framing narrative involving the surprising return of one of the podcasts greatest villains/misunderstood just getting on with his life dudes to date. On the way we'll take in tiny elephants, wulvers, a mermaid, simps, cobblers, tall tales, unfortunate seagulls and slave driving saints in an episode suitably scaled for the topic. For sources and more visit the episode page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-52-Giants/ #mythology #folkore #legends #folktales # Legends

A very special episode - the podcast's first ever expert discussion section! An interview with the world's leading boggart expert Dr Simon Young answering questions like what are boggarts, where would you find them, why do they look nothing like what we think of as Boggarts today? Followed by a very short story section about a boggart that isn't really a boggart. Just to round things off. Sources, musical credits and boggart artwork on the website https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-50-boggarts/   #Folklore #Mythology

The 50th episode! A huge milestone for me and I'm using it to concentrate on one of my favourite topics I've only touched on so far: Boggarts.  Boggarts abound in this selection of accounts featuring a surprising variety of supernatural sights - shrieking spectres, ghostly geese, inflatable sheep, ineffective graves and much much more.  Come to Boggartdom, meet the feeorin and found out more synonyms for terror than you ever thought you'd need!  Sources, musical credits and boggart artwork on the website https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-50-boggarts/ #folklore #storytelling

This episode we've a nice normal fairy story about Elves, and one boy's bloody Tarantino-esque quest to get his ball back (and maybe something else as well? I forget.) For sources and more visit the episode page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-49-Childe-Rowland/   #mythology #folkore #legends #folktales

This episode we're off to Glasgow - the largest city in Scotland, for stories about Saints and Monsters set along the river, by turns in a Dear Green Place and a gritty, deadly urban sprawl. Hear stories involving necromantic powers, cuckolding, fish, school children, dental operations gone wrong and all the other usual suspects. For sources and more visit the episode page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-48-glasgow-gold-green-and-iron/   #mythology #folkore #legends #folktales

This episode we have a tale featuring Lancashire Witches, phenomenal cosmic power, a sort of gap year/nature documentary, an unexpected promotion and a story mash up that almost works if you squint, coming from the pen of Lancashire folklore's most unreliable narrator,  For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-47-the-witch-of-eagles-crag/  #Myths #Legends #Folklore #Witches #Lacanshirefolklore

A fairy tale like story that's meant for children... and may be the most traumatic and violent I've covered yet. Meet the family: an old woman, an old man and a little girl living in a remote valley with their dog Turpie. Awww! Meet the Hobyahs - numerous terrible monsters that live all around the valley. Less awww. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-46-the-hobyahs/ #Myths #Legends #Folklore #Folkstories #FairyTales

Branch Three of the Mabinogi(on) featuring marrying mothers, misty magic, market disruption, mice, milquetoast Manawydan and much much more! For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-45-third-branch-of-the-mabinogion-manawydan/ #WelshMythology #Mabinogion #Mabinogi #Folklore #Myth

A collection of stories telling the life and active afterlife of one of Ireland's most notorious and corporeal ghosts, with a rather unusual nickname. A woman, evil in life, who was graciously rewarded with the opportunity to continue being evil after death.  Sometimes being evil is its own reward it seems. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-44-the-life-and-afterlife-of-petticoat-loose/ #Myths #Folklore #Ghosts

A tale of Fionn and the Fianna featuring heroism (maybe), murder (definitely), theft, even more animal transformations and other laddish pursuits. Stick around for the post credit sequence! For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-43-fionn-pt-5-the-lad-of-the-skins/ #myth #mythology #folklore #Feniancycle #IrishMythology #FionnMacCumhaill

Storms, shipwrecks, salvaging, surprising donkeys and satanic forces all feature in two tales of wrecking on the Cornish Coast. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-42-cornish-wreckers/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #cornwall

The second of two episodes on Irish fairy lore with three more tales of the Aos Sí. Featuring a new trendy get rich quick scheme (robbery), absolutely banging tunes and highly restrictive music licencing laws, and what's sure to be a heroic rescue! And I even include a Leprechaun (kind of)! For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-41-irish-fairylore-2-fairymore/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #celticlegends

The first of two episodes on Irish fairy lore - featuring three tales of the Aos Sí and there's not a pair of gossamer wings in sight. Discover the connection between a fairy rath and the fairies wrath, meet a dead donkey who doesn't drop anything, and take a good look at a fairy baby. While you still can. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-40-irish-fairylore-1-aos-si-what-you-did-there/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #celticlegends

This episode features a number of accounts of encounters with the fearsome Scottish water-horse known alternately as the Each-Uisge and the Kelpie. The tales involve a kindly magical old woman, a not so kindly magical old woman, sticky situations, lust, and a lorra lorra lochs. For musical credits, sources and more Kelpie information visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-39-kelpies-and-the-each-uisge/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode is the second from the collection of Medieval chronicler of oddities, miscellanea, and forteana - Walter Map. Featuring two weddings, a suspicious contract, dust, a cute little goat man, the wild hunt (but not really) and a dog that just won't quit. One of the earliest of the many stories that has been classified as being about "The Wild Hunt". Musical credits and sources on the episode page: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-38-king-herla-the-wild-hunt/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode we've a tale from the Isle of Man featuring a folkloric Kaiju, a super-powered Saint, unusual ordinance, a brave little tailor(but not that brave little tailor), a deal with god, and more nautical terms than you can shake a main brace at. For pictures, links and musical credits please see the website page at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-37-the-buggane-of-st-trinians/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode we've got a tale that draws strongly from Folk-horror, the strange world of the Lincolnshire Carrs (marshlands), a fairly unnecessary second person framing narrative and a lesson about the real power of a firm handshake. Sources and musical credits can be found on the Episode Page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-36-the-dead-hand #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode we have a delightful Fairy Tale. With fairies, castles, witches, princesses and princes, step mothers and ugly step sisters (alignments to be revealed), lots of things done in threes, and body horror that's positively Cronenbergesque. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-35-kate-crackernuts/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #fairytales

More tales from Manchester. Three stories with an emphasis on the post-mortem, with a light dusting of Boggarts and faeries to keep things interesting. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-34-manchester-unite-dead/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #fairytales

Come with me to Cottonopolis where we’ve got two stories and an introduction. There’ll be more ill-advised ways to win a woman (see the last episode), and lots of mentions of a table that’s far bigger than I’d assumed. . Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-33-bizarre-botany-and-curious-collections-2/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #fairytales

Walter Map’s charming little tale of a Princess, ambition, obsession, one of the most taboo acts known to humanity, an unlikely weapon from an unlikely source and, of course, shoes. Let me take you to Constantinople…. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-32-the-shoemaker-of-constantinople/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

A Knight! A Dark and Stormy night! A Castle! A quest! A hot headed wizard! A damsel! Northumberland! What more could you possible want? Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-31-the-seeker-knight/   #myths #folklore #legends

A short bonus episode about the lovable little Trows and their delightfully happy Christmas adventures! Proceed with caution. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-30-the-trows-christmas/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This time we’ve got the conclusion to the Second Branch of the Mabinogion. There’s talking heads, the non-talking dead, talking birds, and I bitterly regret recording the whole episode without saying “A little bird told me”. It’s the longest episode yet and hopefully it’s worth it. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-28-19-second-branch-of-the-mabinogion/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #welshmythology

A tale taken from the premier text of Welsh mythology, with part one of a story of London, giants, magic, marriage, international diplomacy and the age old question of: Families. Who'd have them? Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-28-19-second-branch-of-the-mabinogion/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode join us in York, for the story of Brother Jucundus... a liminal tale of monks, wild partying and coincidences. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-27-brother-jucundus/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode we've got three short stories of Stone circles. There's poor wedding planning, there's a beautiful view ruined, and there's a remote island community in midsummer, with cuckoos. Be afraid, be petrified! Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofthebritishisles.com/episode-26-stone-circles/

Do you like prank(e)s? Do you like jests? Do you like them mad and merry? Do you like characters who are cruel, capricious and also have super powers? Well if so, we've got just the tale for you! Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-25-robin-goodfellow-his-mad-pranks-and-merry-jests/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

The final part of the tale of the Enchanter of Pengersick, features destinies fulfilled, wizard school, magical battles, renovations and, just in the nick of time, an Enchanter. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-2123-24-the-enchanter-of-pengerswick/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

The second part of the Cornish tale of the Enchanter of Pengersick! There are plots, there's poison, there's ghosts, there's pirates! An Enchanter you ask? Did we mention the pirates? Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-2123-24-the-enchanter-of-pengerswick/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This time we have a short Christmas bonus episode for you, because it's the season for it. And because the episode we're meant to have isn't done yet. We're telling a narrative story of a popular old Christmas song... with a slightly gothic twist. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-22-the-mistletoe-bride-christmas-bonus/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

In this episode we start a three part Cornish legend where Magic, marriage, murder and mayhem abound, in a story packed with more folkloric elements than you can shake an enchanted stick at: Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-2123-24-the-enchanter-of-pengerswick/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

And we’re finally back! This time with a spooky story from Lancashire featuring, amongst other things, class politics, horses, a kiss and a lot of storytelling. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofthebritishisles.com/episode-20-the-spectre-horseman/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This time we’ve got the second in a two parter telling tales from the biggest smoke: London town. This time there are three stories of residents of the city: an entrepreneur who dares to think outside the box, a property developer with an unpaid debt, and an honest workman with a secret admirer. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-19-london-legends-part-2-residents/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This delayed Tales of Britain and Ireland is the first of two episodes looking at some legends from that Heart of Darkness itself: London town. This time there are three stories of visitors to the city: one an original wonder woman, one an ancient train-buff and one a big dreamer. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-18-london-legends-part-1-visitors/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

This episode we continue working our way through the origin phase of the Fenian cycle featuring everything you’ve grown to expect from a Fionn story: an evil Sidhe, animal transformations, and blatant overuse of Irish incidental music. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-17-fionn-maccumhaill-part-4-oh-deer-oisin/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

Today we're back in the world of mythological Ireland, as we return to the tales of Fionn MacCumhaill. It's backstory time and changes are afoot, not least of strongly held opinions. We'll learn about the dangers of an angry ex, the benefits of signing a pre-nup with your nephew and how a beloved pet really can be one of the family. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-16-fionn-maccumhaill-part-3-bran/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

The second part in our look at Festive Ghost stories this episode is an unusual one for this podcast, featuring a straight reading of E. Nesbit’s wonderful Ghost Story “The Shadow” featuring no rambling asides, and little incidental music. Suggest listening to our first Christmas Ghost episode first, but if you’re still keen given to then give this a listen afterwards. If you're new to this podcast I probably wouldn't start here! Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-14-15-christmas-ghosts/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

In this slightly delayed festive (read: spooky) episode we’ve got a number of ghost stories from the British Isles, featuring peculiar Medieval spooks of Yorkshire, toe-curlingingly embarrising attempts at emulating the crypt Keeper, Lovecraftian horrors of Victorian London and the nineteenth century’s most unflappable headmaster. After that there’s also another episode released today featuring a reading of E. Nesbit’s 1910 Ghost Story “The Shadow”. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-14-15-christmas-ghosts/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

A Scottish fairy tale, name checked by none other than J.R.R. Tolkien features a whole lot of threes, an Epic Battle (off camera), a very valuable apple (no Steve Jobs required) and a fast and loose attitude to tying up narrative threads. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-13-the-black-bull-of-norroway/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #fairytales

Concluding the first Branch of the Mabinogion we pick up again with Pwyll and Rhiannon. This time they'll be contending with legal technicalities, murder most foul, a dark game of horsey, claws encounters and Pwyll's general ineptitude. And I’ll fail to use the pun clawstrophobia. Much to my chagrin. Musical credits, sources and more at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-11-12-first-branch-of-the-maginogion-pwyll-and-rhiannon/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #welshmythology

This episode we begin our look at the renowned collection of medieval Welsh tales, the Mabinogion. Join Pwyll prince of Dyfed on an unusual job swap, featuring a magical horse, some colourful hounds, acts of both uncivility and propriety, and some very dodgy pronunciation. Musical credits, sources and more at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episodes-11-12-first-branch-of-the-maginogion-pwyll-and-rhiannon/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #welshmythology

With Halloween right around the corner we have a short bonus episode looking at another spooky tale. This story from Kent is not strictly about Halloween but does feature a host of seasonal favourites: Black magic, dismembered body parts, murder and a pug. Musical credits, sources and more at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-10-the-hand-of-glory/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends

A creepy Lincolnshire legend features a collection of evil creatures that haunt the darkness, spells to keep them away and a possible moral about knowing your place in the world. Especially if you have got a really important job to do. Musical credits, sources and more at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-9-the-buried-moon/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends