![]() Scholars today do not believe that all of Ireland’s folklore has its roots in Celtic Mythology. ![]() Similarly, the Fenian Cycle also contains the deeds of heroes, but these stories are mostly in verse, and the heroes battle with the spiritual world overcoming obstacles and physical tests. The Historical Cycle is dedicated to the ballads and poetry performed by the bards whose duty it was to record the lineage of Kings. The Ulster Cycle represents Ireland’s Heroic Age with stories of battles, war, famous heroes and kings, and epic love. It is home to stories from the Golden Age of Ireland. Irish folk tales don’t end with the mythological, in fact, their history is so robust with epic poems, ballads, songs and literature that the folklore is categorized into four cycles: The Mythological Cycle, the Ulster Cycle, the Fenian Cycle, and the Historical Cycle. Of course, the Mythological Cycle contains the stories of gods and goddesses and how the Irish came to be. With fairy poetry ever popular, these mythical creatures are alive and well in the hearts of the Irish today, and many will tell you they’ve seen them with their own eyes. ![]() ![]() ![]() “The snarling horde.” Illustration by Arthur Packham, published in Irish Fairy Tales by James Stephens (1920), Macmillan ![]()
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