Ireland's Birds – Myths, Legends & Folklore

by Niall Mac Coitir

Birds have been part of our culture for thousands of years. They have inspired poets and painters, and feature in many legends and place names. Here Niall Mac Coitir provides a comprehensive look at the mythology, legends and folklore of Irish birds, both wild and domestic. He presents various aspects of bird folklore, such as fairy birds, birds of notable song or beauty, birds in the Brehon Laws and in early Irish poetry, and legends, such as the Children of Lir being turned into swans and how the banshee often appeared in the form of a crow, are featured. The birds are presented in seasonal order based either on their migratory habits, for example the cuckoo in summer, or on their cultural associations, such as the robin at Christmas. Also explored is how birds are often powerful symbols of various virtues and qualities, such as the goose, which is a symbol of watchfulness and bravery. Written with imagination and enthusiasm, this mix of natural history, mythology and folklore will entertain and enlighten all interested in the birds of Ireland.

Genres: Ireland, Nature, Birds, Nonfiction, Mythology, Animals, Folklore

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 28, 2015

Reviews

[Corinne Edwards · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a bird lover myself, so when I saw this book in a little shop in Blackrock, County Wicklow, I grabbed it. It's exactly what it it's title says, a book about different birds and how they play into the fabric of Irish stories and folklore. It's methodical and well organized - sometimes repetitive enough that it felt like it's almost meant to be used more as a reference manual rather than read cover to cover, but it didn't bother me. Swallows and robins, eagles, plovers and hawks - more than twenty different birds are identified and explored for their cultural significance.

Here is what this book makes me think of: birds were just SUCH a huge part of ancient life. Birds could tell the future and predict the weather, they were used to cure ills and for the feasting table. It's astonishing how much there is to know about how birds have interacted with humanity over the years! It makes me think about what life was like before "science," before we humans understood how things worked around us - without that knowledge, looking to the natural world for information makes perfect sense!

It's a bit dry and its definitely a niche topic. But I'm not sorry I read it because I feel like I gained such an interesting perspective of the lives of the early Irish as well as the early Irish world.

[Liam Wurtz · Rating 3 out of 5]

As soon as I landed in Shannon I got really jazzed about the birds in Ireland. I don't know why. Hasn't happened on previous trips and I am the least interested person in birds in the US which is strange because I am effortlessly fascinated by animals, plants, water, fire, rocks, etc. Maybe I'm just annoyed by how many birdwatchers there are in Brooklyn (and I'm doubly critical of anyone who calls it "birding"...yuck). But the birds here got me really excited. Turned me into a veritable birdwatcher. Wrens! Jackdaws! Swallows! Even the ducks here had some elusive "it" factor.

And Magpies - don't even get me started on Magpies! I know they're just sort of pests but damn! The classic white on black color scheme, the way they hop around. Magpies are currently being considered for a position on my pantheonic list of Liam's most excellent beasts, currently up to 7:

-Giant Squid
-Lynx
-Alligator
-Possum
-Mantis
-Raven
-Weevil

This would be a controversial pick because the Magpie would not only be the second bird, but the second corvid, and I'm capping this at 12 so it's a weighty decision as we get into the second half.

Book was good though. Sometimes there was a bit too much "for example" and a lot of facts get used multiple times in corresponding chapters if they involve multiple birds, but I think to write a book like this you can't be too afraid of being repetitive if you want to be thorough. I appreciated the conclusions drawn, all of which felt very scholarly. The only thing that felt like unfounded freewriting was the revised Ogham alphabet of birds at the end. Slides of the birds and artwork elsewhere in the book were lovely.

I now know that I should doff my hat in the presence of a lone magpie to avoid bad luck, which I definitely hadn't been doing up until this point so I'm glad to be informed.

[Michelle Sampson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great Book On Irish Native Birds

Love the details and the pictures included and how all of the information is so laid out so you can get the true understanding the birds in Ireland well done.

[Lara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of dry reading. There were a Few nuggets that were interesting, but it felt very long.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book because it was cheap on Kindle and it ended up giving me interesting bits of lore about Ireland's most common birds.

[AT · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admirable research. Divided up into folk beliefs and customs, myths and legends and notable facts. I enjoyed the last section (notable facts) more than the other sections although it was mostly the shortest piece about each bird. Beautifully illustrated by Gordon D'Arcy. An interesting and pleasant book to dip into, rather than a book to read all at once.