The Raths. The Curses & True Faerie Sightings of the Fairy Hills & Forts of Ireland.

In this episode we look at the Raths, the Faerie hill forts of Ireland. What are they? Why are they under threat? What are the curses surrounding them? What are the Fairy sightings?
MARC POTTS ART MERCH... WE HAVE MERCH OF THE FAIRY, PIXIE AND WITCHERY ART WE USE
For t-shirts, mugs, notebooks, cards, prints, homewares and much more :
www.redbubble.com/people/marc...
If you love crafting you can buy printable downloads of our faerie, witch & vintage artwork and more at the Etsy shop : www.etsy.com/shop/EtheraBelle...
Original Art and Curiosities by both of us : www.etsy.com/shop/elementalga...
You can find more of his work at www.marcpottsart.com ... he is also on Facebook and Instagram
My work can be found on www.kellypottsmartinez.com ... I am also on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, I sculpt, craft photograph, write & make short animation films
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0:00 Introduction
0:52 What are the Raths and what is their history?
4:56 Destruction of the Raths & those fighting the destruction
8:30 Stories of true Fairy sightings & curses
13:33 Closing thoughts
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Art, photography :
Marc Potts -main illustrator and artist
Wikimedia Commons and Pixabay photography, historical art and video
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Research from Folklorists and further reading :
The Irish Times, Pat Noone Fairy Whisperer, Eddie Lenihan, Duchas, Independent Ireland, K Briggs,
* Sean Lynch
* Michele Horrigan's book with Sinead Mercier and Michael Holly - The Men Who Eat Ringforts
* Instagram project @everyringfort by Keith O'Faolain
* Eddie Lenihans Tell Me a Story KZbin channel, you can find his books on fairy encounters and Biddy Early the witch online at eddielenihan.weebly.com/store... or on Amazon
* Pat Noone's farm guest house website www.green-hills.eu
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Music attribution :
Frost Waltz by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Source: incompetech.com/music/royalty-...
Artist: incompetech.com/

[@sotafats]

I come 2 believe in faeries later in my life about 35..when i was pregnant with my son every day lights used 2 flash all the time in my home until he was born..and then i nearly died having my gallbladder out and i believe the surgeon and the faeries saved my life..i saw them the first night in hospital and they also touched me...i was truly blessed !!!!! ❤❤❤

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Wow, yes, I completely believe you were being contacted and comforted, and I am sure you treasure those experiences.... which are completely wonderful :)

[@sotafats]

@@talesoffeyandfolk YES I do treasure and feel honoured 4 every experience I've had !!!!!

[@tribeoflight-ireland868]

I moved to Ireland 8 years ago in between 3 fairy forts, it is magical here. My late wife had an experience whereby she was told by the Elementals that they were on the way here to settle. She then had another experience whereby she was invited to a party they were throwing in the garden part of the tunnel. She was able to move through the flowers and play like she was miniaturised, she had a wonderful time. Fast forward to now and my new partner came out with the exact same words as my wife had done, and then had the experience. The fact that it happened twice is more than convincing that it was real, we often hear laughter also.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thank you for sharing. That is really interesting, both ladies with the same communication and experience. We really do need to visit Ireland. Our daughter is marrying an Irish lad later this year .... I think a visit will be in the future. We are both feeling the pull to explore Ireland/Eire. I think we are being called in some ways :)

[@philodowd8080]

As a child I brought home a flowering hawthorn branch to my mam as a gift, she roared at me to get it out of the house quick, she really was afraid

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thanks for your interesting comment. It's fascinating isn't it, I love that the old ways are still remembered.... and are now being preserved and celebrated more. :)

[@bubbledriver734]

I came and watched this as soon as I got the notification! I just love hearing about Fairy hills and forts ~!

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thank you :)

[@Jay-ur2zn]

Having Scottish and Irish and Welsh heritage in me I am drawn to stories like this one , I hear the Fay talk to me sometimes but I almost completely deaf so it is hard to understand them but I am thankful for the conversation nonetheless

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Wow, what a fantastic thing, that is really fascinating. And I think that's the key thing isn't it... to be grateful for what they bring :)

[@customisedcolouringcumbernauld]

We love working with our local Fae of The Enchanted Forest here in Cumbernauld, Scotland. We create and design Colouring Pages inspired by The Enchanted Forest and The Fae. Connect & we can send you a free Magical Gift from our lovely Fae Family 🧚✨️🧚✨️🧚‍♀️🧚✨️🧚‍♀️

[@jolenaroe3001]

​@@customisedcolouringcumbernauld I would give almost anything to go to Scotland or Ireland.... My Grandparents moved here in the 1930's and my Dad's side is from Scotland. Id give anything to go back and see where I get my red hair ❤❤❤😂

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I get the impression saying *_"Ireland has Faerie lore"_* is _somewhat equivalent_ to saying *_"Florida_* [USA] *_has tourists."_*

[@nicbro3831]

Im an american but a bit scotch-irish by heritage. Id love to visit the raths and leave some pretty stones for the good folk. Ive always loved them, and respect them deeply.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Me too, I've never visited Ireland, but hope to some day :)

[@TheCuriousCelt]

The Faeries are real enough to be sure. 🍀 Enjoyed your wee video, good information and advice. 🌻 Thanks. 👍

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Yes they are and always to be respected!! Thank you for your kind words :)

[@thomaskeogh7016]

This is what makes Ireland magical 🙏🇮🇪🇮🇪✝️we grow up hearing stories of the fairy folk just magical

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Absolutely, we so need to visit Ireland :)

[@elsbee38]

Im going to Ireland this June and cannot wait

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Have a wonderful time, hope you find many Faerie places :)

[@MoontownMoss]

Didn't bump into you, hope you had a good trip :)

[@GazzaJAnimal]

Another fab video, thank you.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you for your support :)

[@lunaverde1785]

I love all of these stories! Keeping such a good company 💕✨️

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Glad you like them!

[@esjabear1168]

My family and I visited Ireland about 20 years ago. We rented a car and drove around the bottom half of the country, which I can highly recommend. We passed two fairy trees, which I was careful to respect. One of them was between highways, because the workers who built the roads refused to cut it down. We hired a tour bus to take us around the Ring of Kerry, which was a wonderful experience. The driver pointed out a fairy tree, but did not stop. He told me not to ask questions about it, as it was something I didn't understand. Actually I'm open minded. If I get to Ireland again, I will hire more of the local guides, such as when going to the huge fort at Kinsale. You learn so much more from these helpful guides in their own home towns.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Absolutely, I wonder if the bus driver didn't want to talk about it for his own reasons, not necessarily because of you as visitors? The more I hear and read about Ireland the more I realise my hubby and I need to go and experience the atmosphere of Faerie there. :)

[@clarefoskett9959]

I have ancestors from there.

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

If you have a rath, plow around it and leave it be.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Absolutely! :)

[@autumnmoon5014]

I absolutely love your channel ❤ ♥ ❤

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thank you so much!!

[@TerenceMe-ps2hx]

I’ve had a couple of experiences on the edge of Charnwood Forest in Leicestershire .. First clear sighting was with a beautiful looking 18 inch tall faerie or elf being . It was a little startling to see it sat at the otherside of an automatic gate I was about to drive through . It didn’t feel alarming or frightening , but I didn’t stop to talk . It was just so crazy . Maybe they’re far and wide and show theirselves when they wish to .

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

I think they are around us more than we realise, but because our lives are so hectic we don't have the ability to see them any more, just glimpses when we least expect it :)

[@leenewsom7517]

Thank you very much 😁

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thank you for your support :)

[@biddylee7304]

So lovely Kelly. x

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Thank lovely :)

[@dogstar5572]

My uncle has a farm just outside Carnew. There is a rath there. He puts milk out for the fairies even though he’s Catholic. My cousin built a house on a rath. My uncle said, “no one will ever have a nights sleep in that house”. He was right, the house was ultimately demolished. My uncle doesn’t grow crops on the land but he does let the cows graze there.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

It's so interesting isn't it. There are still parts of England where the same feeling towards Faerie exists, Dartmoor for example. And I love that so much. Glad to hear your uncle has such respect for his 'neighbours' :)

[@toscadonna]

I love Ireland and always wanted to move there. I remember seeing the raths everywhere on my trips to Ireland. I wonder where the fairy folk go once their rath is demolished? Do the move on, or do they wreak havoc in the new building built over it?

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

I've never been sadly, I hope to visit one day though. I wish I knew what happened to the folk that lived in the mounds. It's so very sad the lack of respect for these ancient places that are such an important part of Ireland's heritage

[@MoontownMoss]

Hi. I have been watching your videos all morning and wondered if I could ask some advice? I live beside a very old oak woodland on the north coast of Ireland, which is known to have survived becoming absorbed by the surrounding commercial woodland as locals feared terrible consequences. It even acknowledges the faerie hills inside the woodland as the reason for its age and preservation in some interpretive signage. I learned this the hard way in my 20's as a woodturner looking for a nice bit of oak, they were gentle with me but lets just say never again! I now work as a scientist and am not one for superstition, but the message was clear! Its called Breen Oakwood, maybe you've heard of it? Anyway - a series of standing stones circle the adjacent mountain where I live and extend down to the woodland. Its said that the stones mark the places where chieftains fell in battle (the battle of Glenshesk and Glentaisie), and indeed generations of my dogs have greeted these stones as if they were old friends - which can be a bit unsettling to watch when walking at night but the vibe has always been friendly. One of these stones sits in the hedgerow beside my house, looking like a big fallen rock about the size of a small car, its unassuming but if you crawled through the hawthorn you'd see some knotwork carved on the back - its documented in some local historical books. Here's where I get to the point - during the 2020 lockdown it disappeared overnight! No mystery though - there were scuffs in the road, deep tyre marks and broken branches - someone took it as a garden feature! The earth underneath was fresh and some copper looking metal and a bead or two were visible which I quickly covered over (seemed like the right thing to do). The sheer mechanical effort to move it must have taken some serious equipment. What can I do to make this right?, the vibe is still friendly to me, the dogs were upset and went looking, there's a feeling of loss in the air for sure. Does someone now have a confused chieftain wandering amongst their laurels??!

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Blimey, that's some story and what a tragedy someone stole the stone! OK, if it were me or my husband, and the energy there was still accepting of visitors ... I would take votive offerings. I leave flowers usually, they can return to the earth, a libation, a small drink of alcohol poured on the ground, Marc tends to leave small beads, thin bangles that sort of thing. And after leaving them in the place, buried, i would just sit and close my eyes in a meditative state, relax the mind. And I would apologise mentally for the damage and disrespect caused by some other person. I know how you feel, it beggars belief peoples' selfishness, and the feeling of wanting to perform some sort of reparation. To be honest I hope whoever took the stone does have an ancient chieftain or warrior roaming around... they might learn some respect and not to steal a country's heritage!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

There are 30K to 40K in Ireland? Wow. FWIW: If I EVER make it to Ireland, I will be KAP'ing _at least_ one of them. KAP = Kite Aerial Photography. Or as I sometimes call it, _"Your Great Grandfather's Drone."_

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

I know!! we've never been to Ireland or Eire, but have friends there and honestly.... we totally need to go and record some content about the faeries there!!!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@talesoffeyandfolk>>> Agreed...👍

[@lightningspirit2166]

I experienced a timeslip at a long barrow grave in the burren co clare....it was weird ...!

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

oh wonderful.... magic when least expected always leaves me in awe :)

[@fordford9133]

I'm Irish living in Ireland. Fairy's are rexl

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Yes, yes they are.... you are in the land of them and one day I hope my hubby and I can visit as we love the land from afar with all its faerie-lore :)

[@erikcarmichael3300]

Scotland is as well ever heard story of Tam Lin or better yet Thomas the Rhymer

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

LOVE both of those. I worked on a small independent film of Tam Lin years ago, but it never left post production sadly. Hopefully one day though it will be finished in editing :)

[@robertonunesoliveira]

😍😍🥰🥰🤩🤩🤩

[@sweetbottumz7705]

No. Foolhearty .

[@TonyM540]

To dismiss the fairies of Ireland as nonsense would be a huge injustice to our heritage and culture.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

It would be, we SO need to take a visit to Ireland at some point to visit and pay homage to the fairies there :)

[@debrapaulino918]

People dismiss it as mythology. Most have never had any kind of paranormal experiance so that is their reference.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

Absolutely agree :)

[@debrapaulino918]

Should we think there is a possible connection with unexplained violence?

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

I don't know.... I think it is a very complicated issue with a long long legacy and history. Maybe the energy of some places is more raw? I just don't know

[@debrapaulino918]

@@talesoffeyandfolk Yes.

[@dogstar5572]

I now live in Iceland. The ‘hidden people’, are respected here. Roads have been diverted here because their original plans would run through faery forts. Sacred places. My wife and I are pagans, as much of Icelands population.

[@talesoffeyandfolk]

I've only visited Iceland once, just to the airport on a stopover, but Marc and I were delighted by all the folklore things in there, celebrated even in the airport. We need to visit properly and take time to travel around, hopefully one day :)