PODCAST · society
Unreal Irish Folklore
by Ruth A
Unreal is a podcast about Irish history, stories, folklore and tradition. Each episode searches for the origins of some of Ireland’s most famous myths and folklore, and takes a fresh look at exciting legends and history which have become almost forgotten in centuries past. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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RE-RELEASE: Giants and Causeways
A re-release of the second ever episode of Unreal, while I recover from illness. A new episode will come soon once my voice is back at full strength! Giants sculpted our landscape. They are strong, and fierce, and can be terrifying if you’re unprepared. But anyone can defeat a giant – if you are...
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The Cry of the Banshee
The Banshee is one of Ireland’s most famous folkloric figures. A supernatural woman with a cry that foretells of death and devastation to those who hear it, stories about banshees have been terrifying listeners for hundreds of years. But has she always been this way? Read the Podcast Script…
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Mid Season Break
Hi everyone, Ruth here, and apologies for the slightly sporadic uploads to Unreal this season – I’ve just been having quite a busy time outside of podcasting. I’m actually going to take mid-season break and come back in two weeks with a special Halloween episode, and finish out the second half of...
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The Madness of Sweeney
What happens when a king goes mad? When he leaves his home, his wife and lands, and goes wandering in the woods and the wild? Such a strange frenzy came on Sweeney, an Irish king long ago. The life he came to live was a harsh and a wild one – but, as the story shows, still one where breathtaking...
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Deirdre of the Sorrows
There once was born a cursed girl. She was beautiful, and strong-willed, and would do anything for the man she loved. But in her name, evil came to Ireland, bringing war and fighting that left hundreds dead in its wake. Her name was Deirdre, and stories told about her live on, as one of Ireland’s...
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The Quest of the Sons of Tuireann
For every death, a price must be paid. Life is precious, and blood is costly, and when you take the life of a man, you do not know how high the penalty will be. This is a story about three brothers, and a life they took, the price they paid, and the devastation that followed them to their deaths....
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The Ship from the Sky
As strange as it is imagine, there are infinite worlds out there in the universe, far beyond our sight. But, if the stories are to be believed, a group of early Irish people came closer than most to contact with the world above our world, and the strange people who inhabited it. Read the Podcast...
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Stories of the Snow
There is something magical about snow, but it’s also deceptive, and deadly – the perfect ingredient for dark tales on a cold winter’s night . . . Read the Podcast ScriptSources Weather Lore Customs, Beliefs and Superstitions of the Different Festivals – Dúchas.ie Weather-Lore – Dúchas.ie Plucking...
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Granuaile - The Pirate Queen
Granuaile, Ireland’s Pirate Queen , was ahead of her time but remains with us in legend. Escaping the constraints of femininity, Gráinne risked everything she had to live life she wanted, and rule the seas. Read the Podcast Script Sources and Further Reading Granuaile: Ireland's Pirate Queen by...
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Oisín's Adventures in the Land of Youth
The story of Oisín’s journey to Tír na nÓg with Niamh of the Golden Hair has become one of Ireland’s best-loved legends. But the history of how it came to be told may still surprise you . . . Read the Podcast Script Sources and Further Reading Lay of Oisín on the Land of Youth by Michael Comyn...
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Bridget Cleary: "The Last Witch Burned in Ireland"
Witch trials came to an end after 1711. But in the decades that followed, hushed into small, catholic communities in the Irish countryside, fear of the supernatural was growing. And 1895 brought the most infamous execution of a suspected fairy ever to take place – the burning of Bridget Cleary in...
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The Witch Panic of Islandmagee
The story of the last and largest witch trial ever to take place in Ireland. Read the Podcast Script Sources and Further Reading Possessed by the Devil: The Real History of the Islandmagee Witch Trial, by Andrew Sneddon Witchcraft and Magic in Ireland, by Andrew Sneddon Account of the Trial of...
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The Cursed Kiss of Florence Newton
In 1661, rumours swept the town of Youghal about the deadly kiss of a woman named Florence Newton, a kiss that could bring terrible pain, claim lives, and that marked her out for what she truly was – a witch. Read the Podcast Script Sources and Further Reading Irish Witchcraft and Demonology, by...
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Alice Kyteler: Ireland's First Witch Trial (Re-release)
(Re-released episode from Season 1) In 1324, Dame Alice Kyteler of Kilkenny became the first woman tried for witchcraft in Ireland. But things did not go according to plan… SOURCES AND FURTHER READING The Sorcery Trial of Alice Kyteler: A Contemporary Account, translated and edited by L. S....
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Season 3 Trailer
Welcome to season 3 of Unreal a podcast about Irish history, stories and tradition. I’m doing something a little different this time around. For the month of October, I will be bringing you weekly true stories of Irish witches: their lives, their trials, their fates. Alice Kyteler. Florence…
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The Salmon of Knowledge
The tale of the Salmon of Knowledge is one of the most famous and well-loved stories of Irish in mythology. It’s a story about becoming – of a hero before he was a hero. Everyone in Ireland knows the story. But you might be surprised by its roots! Read the Podcast Script Sources and Further…
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Lost and Sunken Places
Tales of mythical islands and enchanted cities have captivated our storytellers for generations. We are always searching, searching on the far horizon and in the depths of our lakes and rivers, for the worlds we have lost, and the promised lands we still have left to find. Read the Podcast Script...
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Irish Werewolves and their Tales
Early Irish forests were thick with wolves. Fierce, fast and predatory, it’s no wonder these animals inspired so many myths and stories before their extinction. The legend of the werewolf - men and women who could walk through the world in the shape of wolves - has captured imaginations for...
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For Fear of Little Men
Down in the hollows, hiding just out of sight, the wee folk are watching our every move. And despite their size, these little beings can bring about an incredible amount of destruction. But were the wee folk always thought of as so sinister? And do they think of humans as being just as magical as...
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Mermaids, Merrows and Selkies
Far below the ocean waves live the strange and mysterious people of the sea. From ancient times to the modern day we have been fascinated by stories of the sea folk – the way they look, the songs they sing, and the great hold they have on us. But the merfolk are very different to humans, and when...
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The Old Cures
When disease swept through a community, people would try anything that might help to save the ones they loved. In times before modern medicine, illnesses rarely seen today, like measles, pox and whooping cough, were killers, and traditions were passed down by families desperate for anything to…
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Did St Patrick Banish Snakes from Ireland?
St Patrick banished snakes from Ireland forever, and none have since dared to touch the land he charmed. But is the story really as simple as that? Or could the legends of snakes, saints and Ireland’s beginnings stretch much further, with many more twists and turns? https://unrealpodcast.com/...
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The Wren, The Wren, the King of the Birds
“The wren, the wren, the king of the birds, On St Stephen’s Day was caught in the furze..." Traditions surround this tiny bird in winter - but does the Wren Hunt have much more ancient roots? https://unrealpodcast.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Who's the Fastest of them All?
For the warriors of Ireland, speed was an important trait in a wife, tested in gruelling contests. But when you marry a fast, strong woman against her will, you can bet that the running she will do will be far and long away from you… https://unrealpodcast.com/ https://twitter.com/unrealpod Hosted...
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Sheela na Guira, The Tyrant Queen
Crumbled and overgrown, Cullohill Castle is no longer the seat of great deeds , But local legends tell of a tyrant queen who killed lovers nightly, and terrorized the area. The legend may now be almost forgotten – but people nearby still recall. For who could forget the rule of Sheela na Guira?...
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Alice Kyteler: The First Witch Trial in Ireland
In 1324, Dame Alice Kyteler of Kilkenny became the first woman tried for witchcraft in Ireland. But things did not go according to plan... https://unrealpodcast.com/ https://twitter.com/unrealpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Kidnapping at the Circus
In 1937, the kidnapping of a young German acrobat by an Irish circus hand led to a midnight car chase, and a court case that captivated the country. https://unrealpodcast.com https://twitter.com/unrealpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Giants and Causeways
Giants sculpted our landscape. They are strong, and fierce, and can be terrifying if you're unprepared. But anyone can defeat a giant - if you are clever enough to trick them... https://unrealpodcast.com/ https://twitter.com/unrealpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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The Surprising History of The Children of Lir
The mythical world, beautiful storytelling and devastating conclusion of The Fate of the Children of Lir has left its mark on all who have heard through the years. But even one of Ireland's best known legends has a few surprises left in store... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more...
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Trailer
Hello there, and welcome to Unreal, a podcast about Irish history, stories and tradition. I’ll be releasing fortnightly episodes, starting Sunday 15/09/2019. Written and created by Ruth Atkins UnrealPodcast.com Theme music: "The Butterfly" by Sláinte Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Unreal is a podcast about Irish history, stories, folklore and tradition. Each episode searches for the origins of some of Ireland’s most famous myths and folklore, and takes a fresh look at exciting legends and history which have become almost forgotten in centuries past.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Ruth A
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Unreal Irish Folklore have?
Unreal Irish Folklore currently has 30 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Unreal Irish Folklore about?
Unreal is a podcast about Irish history, stories, folklore and tradition. Each episode searches for the origins of some of Ireland’s most famous myths and folklore, and takes a fresh look at exciting legends and history which have become almost forgotten in centuries past. Hosted on Acast. See...
How often does Unreal Irish Folklore release new episodes?
Unreal Irish Folklore has 30 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Unreal Irish Folklore?
You can listen to Unreal Irish Folklore on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Unreal Irish Folklore?
Unreal Irish Folklore is created and hosted by Ruth A.
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