5 Fundamentals of the Irish Fair Folk - Irish "Fairy" Basics | Irish Folklore

So, please excuse the background noise throughout the video - my street was particularly noisy this evening and my cats were also chasing each other around the house. Brownie points if you spot them in the background!
This video has been on my mind to make for a while, as someone who has grown up with a very strong belief and respect of the Irish Fair Folk / Good Neighbours. Here are Five Fair Folk Fundamentals, talking about the Irish Daoine Sidhe or "fairies" as they are sometimes called.
In this video I briefly go through:
1. Some examples of the different beings under the Sidhe umbrella (namely the Púca/Pooka, Beansí/Banshee and the Róin/Selkie)
2. Some names that are alternatives to the F-word ("fairies"/"fairy")
3. Likes and Dislikes
4. Fairy Trees/Bushes (with an extra story from my grandad)
5. People and the Good Folk
I also give some personal insight into stories and information I was told growing up in Ireland about these beings.
Here are a list of resources for further research:
Duchas.ie
National Folklore Collection and the Schools Collection where you an search manuscripts and read stories of most things in Irish folklore - particularly the Good Neighbours there are 10k search results relating to "fairies" alone : www.duchas.ie/...
Morgan Daimler
---- in general one of my main trusted resources on all things Fair Folk
Their KZbin Channel is here: / @morgandaimlerfairies
TikTok: @carasidhe
Twitter: @MorganDaimler
Blog: lairbhan.blogs...
Also They have been published many times over on topics related to the Good Folk, as well as Irish Paganism: www.amazon.com...
Link to an interview with Morgan Daimler on Lora O'Brien's KZbin Channel: • How to Stay Safe when ...
(more links for Lora below)
Eddie Lenihan
I mentioned Eddie in this video as being someone who actively fights to preserve fairy trees and bushes - he also has written a number of books on the subject available on his website (I have 'Meeting the Othercrowd' and 'In Search of BIddle Early' - but there are others on my wishlist). He also retells the stories on his KZbin Channel!
Website: eddielenihan.w...
KZbin Channel: / @tellmeastorypodcastwi...
Lora O'Brien
Playlist on Irish Fairy and Folk Tales: • Video
---Also, Lora is the co-founder of the irishpaganscho... where there are lots of classes on Irish lore, and some specific classes on the Irish Good Folk (some taught by Morgan Daimler, mentioned above) and a wonderful community of people interested in and sharing resources and learning on these topics
Shane Broderick
Shane is a UCC Celtic Studies Graduate with a real passion for Irish folklore, check out his blog below:
irishfolklore....
Hog and Dice
--- Irish folklore and storytelling
KZbin: / @hoganddice
TikTok: @hoganddice
Other TikTokers that cover Irish folklore topics:
@cailinrua
@anirishwitch
@ogerain
News Articles on Fairy Trees and Bushes in Ireland:
Fairy bush survives the motorway planners (Sat, May 29, 1999)
www.irishtimes...
A farmer and his magical field: How fairies have ‘kept the land sacred in Ireland’ (October 29, 2020)
www.agriland.i...
Warning over damage to Hill of Tara 'wishing trees' (Updated / Monday, 15 Jul 2019)
www.rte.ie/new...
From ringfort to ring road: The destruction of Ireland’s fairy forts (Sat, Mar 13, 2021)
www.irishtimes...
'I won't defend Danny Healy-Rae's politics but I will defend personal belief in fairies' (Aug 12th 2017)
www.thejournal...
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If you like this, there will be more Irish folklore coming!
Subscribe to keep updated, and you can also find me on Social Media at the links below where you will get live updates and more content!
Instagram: / thecraftycailleach
Facebook: / thecraftycailleach
Twitter: / craftycailleach​
TikTok: @thecraftycailleach
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[@marykayryan7891]

I once cut down a "fairy tree." I thought it would be OK because it looked dead anyway. It was leaning way over a 10 foot drop. We cut it so that it would fall down the drop but instead it jumped back and fell up! Landing on me. Trees are very heavy, even small ones. The only thing that saved me getting my spine snapped was an indentation in the drive where water collected which I was knocked into face down by the tree. I'd suggest not cutting these trees even if they look completely dead.

[@jessgeoghegan]

Love this video! *To me* the perfect blend of accessibility for new folks but also highly specific info

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

GRMA Jessica 😁

[@Ogham]

How was I not subscribed already 🤣

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

You're busy haha 😄

[@tinkabell1400]

@@TheCraftyCailleach O.M.G baby girl I absolutely love the way you have done your make up in this video it's absolutely perfect hunny your gorgeous sweetie 😊😉😘🤩😍🤗🌛🌝🌜🌞🌚⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐😸😻😽💝💖💋oh and guess what else I love yep u guess rite it's my dearly beloved seelie white good lovely neighbors 😻😸😘😽💖💝🍀☘️🌞

[@tinkabell1400]

Hi Miss Lora, How are you doing sweetie I love you 🌹💋💖😘🤗😊🌻🌸🌺💮🍀☘️💝🌛🌝🌜🌞😻😽😸😉😘

[@DavidDanielDavis]

Very informative! Thanks.

[@donnamurphy8738]

I absolutely loved this!Please continue ❤

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Thanks Donna

[@donnamurphy8738]

@@TheCraftyCailleach no problem you did an awesome job..btw I'm deedlebug🤣

[@champloogurl]

Absolutely adore all alliteration. ;) This video is fabulous 😍

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Haha thank you :D

[@AquilaCat]

Well... gives a whole new meaning to "like a Good Neighbor, StateFarm is there"

[@thequietman760]

I reckon I have a Puca attached to me. I have a very odd obsession with him as you can tell by my profile pic. And Im not that much into fairy's but I do believe they exist. And I wouldn't be fucking with them that's for sure.

[@williecollins5833]

Fabulous info well explained,thank you :)

[@ancientsound]

Love how much you've grounded this in different sources and combine the research with your own experience and family traditions--thank you so much for sharing!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Thank you sommuch for your comment! I'm doing a postgraduate in Irish History so very much like the research and presenting but as a practicing Irish Pagan I also think it's important to give that personal experience too 😀

[@sartarisbeanagh5300]

Awesome awesome awesome

[@mikesnyder3305]

GRMA for this video. Great reminder of living folk traditions.

[@laurelevenque2259]

Excellent presentation! Thanks so much for sharing!

[@Ogham]

Not Video.. físeán 😆

[@betsytrowell6191]

Yes, please, more videos about the Fair Folk!

[@angelgannon7203]

Love from donegal the celtic irish witch 💟🦉💐🍀🙏🙌🌳🌹💖💚💟😊

[@mirbash8784]

Wow! Thank you so much for this video and all the amazing resources. 😍 I've been on a journey to learn more about my Irish heritage and have been wanting to make sure I'm reading up on the correct sources. Love it when you share anecdotes too. ☺️

[@RavensKeepForge]

Nicely done!!

[@miguelcisneros4571]

I just got back from a visit to Ireland. I heard a couple stories about the F's. This intrigued me and was showed a fort. I've heard more intriguing stories since. I would love to go back and learn more. Thank you explaining their likes and dislikes.

[@annieamato2251]

So well organized and presented - love learning from you Amy! Great work!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Awh thank you! :)

[@jhowell1321]

I'm so happy I found your channel! This is by far the best video I've seen about the Fair Folk and love hearing the authentic firsthand stories and folklore. I also appreciate the resources you've shared and am excited to read more. Many thanks!

[@HogandDice]

To be fair to Iarnród Éireann the train is between a set of iron tracks

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

This is also true... seems kind of cruel to invite Them and then also have them not be able to get on lol

[@svpercat]

such an awesome video! thank you so much for sharing your knowledge. can't wait to dive into these resources!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Awh thank you Kara :) glad you enjoyed it!

[@icedtoast8119]

Although I live in America my father is extremely Irish. So whenever we went to Ireland to see my relatives my granny would always tell me of all sorts of stories. When I was younger she would read me stories of fairies. She even lives really near a fairy fort so whenever we drove past it we would point it out. As of lately I’ve been more intrigued of stories of fairies so I’ve been researching a tiny bit. This video really did a good job of doing a clear and consist telling of the stories so I really appreciate it!!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Thank you very much! It's very much part of our heritage, and part that I feel a strong connection to. I would highly recommend Lora O'Brien's new book 'Fairy Faith in Ireland' if you're looking for more

[@PuoroJerome]

This was awesome thank you from Aotearoa New Zealand

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Awh thank you, I'm glad you liked it!

[@ericamooney4607]

Hi there - so grateful IPS shared your bread recipe video and to be led here (and your Irish history videos too!). Wondering how come you explain about not using the word fairy but then how people still say fairy trees and bushes and rings. Is that what you meant by though something is common it is not correct? So you're just referring to the good folk's bushes and trees and rings with "the f word" because that's what people commonly say? Thank you for your time and sharing!

[@TheCraftyCailleach]

Hey Erica 😊 So, I get that it might seem hypocritical to not call Them by the F word and then use "fairy ring" (so much in the Irish traditions are contradictions of each other) but it would be down to not having other words for them and it's the most common usage. In terms of "fairy forts" we can use "ring fort" or "lios" to refer to them but just not specifically with the trees, rings and bushes we don't really have another term for it to describe them and get the same meaning across. And using the F word to specifically refer to Them as beings on their own would be a general no-no which is why we have so many other words and terms for Them 😊 I hope that explains it a bit better?

[@ericamooney4607]

@@TheCraftyCailleach thank you for the quick and thorough reply💚💜 that makes sense indeed