Ireland

Materials from Ireland

The Slug And The Snail

An illustrated own-voices fable about self-acceptance and pride from a member of the Irish Traveller nomadic ethnic minorityDrawn from the Irish Traveller oral storytelling tradition, DeBhairduin’s tale is a gentle allegory about difference, self-acceptance and different ways of seeing the world.Two slugs travel happily together as brothers, until they meet a crow who shows them that they have no home. Ashamed, one of the slugs decides to make himself a home, and calls himself snail. The brothers grow apart and become suspicious of each other. The slug with no shell-house feels ashamed until he learns to see that the very road he travels is his home, and so he shall never be homeless.The happy slug no longer sees himself through the judging eyes of others, but proudly asserts his place in the world and the two brothers travel happily together once more.

Run For Your Life

Azari’s life is split in two, but what links them? Running. Sometimes she runs because she wants to, but sometimes she runs because she has no other choice. When Azari and her mother flee to Ireland as refugees, they find themselves in a center for asylum seekers, Direct Provision. Here they must room with a stranger, eat unfamiliar food they don’t the names of, and are forced to answer intrusive questions from the authorities. Azari has secrets, but will she ever be able to stop running?

Savage Her Reply

A dark, feminist retelling of the Irish fairytale, “The Children of Lir”, told through the voice of Aife. When Aife marries King Lir, he already has four children from his previous wife. Out of jealousy of a father’s love for his children, Aife turns King Lir’s children into swans for 900 years. What will become of them?

Three Tasks For A Dragon

Studious Prince Lir is next in line to become the Wolfhound King, but he can’t ride a horse, lift a sword, or summon the fabled wolfhounds. So his stepmother decrees that her own son will inherit the crown instead, sending Lir away on a seemingly impossible—and assuredly fatal—quest: to rescue the maiden Cethlenn from the once-fearsome dragon Lasvarg. Rather than wage battle, Lir insists that Lasvarg, now decidedly past his prime, honor tradition by setting him three tasks to perform—starting with tackling the mold encrusting the dragon’s cave (and his feet!). As Lir improves Lasvarg’s life, he also grows closer to Cethlenn . . . as well as the wolfhound puppy strangely devoted to her. In time, they learn more of the dark magic that may be making pawns of them all—and how Cethlenn herself could be the key to breaking a spell that clouds the entire kingdom.

Three Tasks For A Dragon is featured in WOW Review Volume XVII, Issue 3.

The Táin: The Great Irish Battle Epic

When Queen Maeve’s army marches north to steal the Brown Bull of Cooley, the leaders of Ulster are cast under a sleeping spell. Just one boy comes out to face the warrior queen and her invading Connacht horde. A lad who has sworn to protect his homeland like a guard dog: the hero Cúchulainn. He’s only a beardless youth against an army of men, but when he twists into his war-form, Cúchulainn is the fiercest fighter in Ireland.

The Girl Who Fell To Earth

Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences. Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal. But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?

All Shining In The Spring

This child-centred book focuses on SIDS and helps children and families cope with the loss of a baby. Written by Ireland’s first Children’s Laureate.

Wolfstongue

Silas is a young boy who is bullied at school because his words will not come. He wishes he could live in silence as animals do. Deep in the Forest, the foxes live in an underground city built by their wolf slaves. The foxes’ leader Reynard controls everything with his clever talk. One day, Silas helps an injured wolf. Then he enters the secret world of the Forest, where the last remaining wolves fight to survive. But even there, language is power. Can Silas find his voice in time to help his wolf friends can he become the Wolfstongue?

Celtic Tales

Perilous quests, true love, and animals that talk: The traditional stories of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales transport us to the fantastical world of Celtic folklore. Features 16 stories that were translated and transcribed by folklorists in the late 19th and 20th centuries that focus on themes such as Tricksters, The Sea, Quests, and Romance. These timeless tales brim with wit and magic, and each one is brought to life with elegant silhouette art in this special illustrated edition.

Celtic Tales is an extraordinary collection that conjures forgotten realms and rare magical creatures in vivid prose. Discover the impactful and stunning illustrations by Kate Forrester in this special edition that is sure to impress any true fan of cultural and mythological literature. Discover delightfully entertaining tales such as Master and Man, The Soul Cages, The Red-Etin, and The Witch of Lok Island.