Celtic Folklore

Some of these books and texts are translations of Celtic legends and sagas; others are retellings of the material, folklore, or literary works based on Celtic themes. During the 19th and early 20th Century there was a resurgence of interest in the folklore of Ireland, Wales and Scotland. This was reflected in a huge amount of literature based on the rich Celtic mythopoetic heritage, most of it very faithful to the original material, some in a more modern voice.

Ireland

The Second Battle of Mag Tuired (Cath Maige Tuired) This Irish saga, first written down in the ninth Century A.D. is an account of the epic battle between the mythical Tuatha De Danann and Fomoire for Ireland. It has deep roots in Indo-European mythology, told with Homeric grace and bawdy humor. There are many allusions to ancient pre-Christian Celtic traditions.
The Cattle-Raid of Cooley (Táin Bó Cúailnge) The Cattle-Raid of Cooley is the central epic of the Ulster cycle. It tells of the great Irish hero, Cuchulain of Ulster, and his battle against the forces of Queen Medb of Connaught.
The Destruction of Dá Derga's Hostel
Translated by Whitely Stokes [1910]
Heroic Romances of Ireland (2 Vols.). by A. H. Leahy [1905-6]
Includes the Courtship of Etain, the Boar of Mac Datho, the Sickbed of Cuchulain, and the five "Tains" or Cattle-Forays, including the bizarre Tain bo Regamna, The Apparition of The Great Queen to Cuchulain. This etext has been submitted to Project Gutenberg.

Lady Augusta Gregory was a close collaborator with W.B. Yeats, the Irish poet and mystic. These three books are her retellings of Irish mythology and folklore, and are among the best of the genre.
Cuchulain of Muirthemne by Lady Gregory [1902] [PB]
Gods and Fighting Men by Lady Gregory [1904] [PB]
Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland by Lady Gregory [1920] [PB]

The Celtic Twilight by W.B. Yeats
   This short book of essays by Yeats is a must-read. [1893 and 1902]
Legends and Stories of Ireland by Samuel Lover [1831, 1834] [PB]
   An early 19th century collection of comic Irish short stories.
The Irish Sketch-book by William Makepeace Thackeray [1845] [PB]
   A travelogue of Ireland of the 1840s, not much in the way of folklore, but good background information.
Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde [1887] [PB]
   A volumnious collection of Irish folklore, including folk magic, not all of it authoritative.
Myths and Folklore of Ireland by Jeremiah Curtin [1890] [PB]
Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts by Patrick Kennedy [1891] [PB]
   A huge collection of Irish folklore and legends, up through Christian times.
The Aran Islands by John M. Synge [1907] [PB]
   A travelogue of the Aran Islands with beautiful woodcut illustrations.
Celtic Wonder Tales by Ella Young [1910] [PB]
Beside the Fire by Douglas Hyde [1910] [PB]
   A scholarly collection of Irish folk stories. The Preface of this book reviews many of the books included on this page.
The Crock of Gold by James Stephens [1912] [PB]
   This is a novel based on Irish folklore.
In Wicklow and West Kerry by John M. Synge [1912] [PB]
   A travelogue of rural Ireland at the turn of the 19th Century
The King of Ireland's Son by Padraic Colum [1916] [PB]
Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens [1920] [PB]

Wales

The Mabinogion Lady Charlotte Guest, tr. [1849]
   The Mabinogion is a group of Welsh tales from the Red Book of Hergest, a 14th Century manuscript maintained at Jesus College, Oxford. The Mabinogion has two portions: the first, an arc of four stories ('Branches') of Welsh mythology, along with some additional myths set in Arthurian times (with a Welsh perspective).
Prolegomena to the Study of Old Welsh Poetry
by Edward Anwyl [1903]
The Gododdin Poems
   from The Four Ancient Books of Wales by William F. Skene [1869]
British Goblins by Wirt Sikes [1881] [PB]
   Despite the title, this book is actually a study of Welsh fairy folklore.
The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas [1907] [PB]
   A collection of Welsh legends and folktales for young readers.
Celtic Folklore: Welsh and Manx By John Rhys [1900] [PB]

Scotland

Celtic Fairies

General Studies