Irish Mythology - Blog Posts
Okay, I really like Irish/Celtic mythology. I wish SwSh had just a little more representation of the classic creatures of the Celts so...
Galarian Gardevoir: Ghost/Fairy
Don't tell Twitter, but this week I graduated from St. Andrews and am now officially a Doctor of Philosophy! My thesis looked at Gaelic mythology and its relationship with national identity in modern Irish and Scottish literature (including Irish language texts). Humanities ftw!
Comhghairdeas mór to my superhero of a supervisor Pàdraig MacAoidh (Peter Mackay) who was also appointed as the Makar of Scotland this week! So very deserved.
Last summer, I had the absolute privilege of discussing the elixir of feminism, Irish mythology, and Rossettian aesthetics that make up Katharine Tynan's poetic retelling of Tóraíocht Dhiarmada agus Ghráinne at the Tate Britain. A highlight of 2023!
If anyone wants to know how the final months of my phd are going, I spent five hours yesterday evening listening to Dies Irae on repeat while translating and cross-comparing nineteenth century translations of early modern Irish texts just to adjust A SINGLE SENTENCE in my thesis.
I just love this contemporary interpretation of Cú Chulainn by Smug One in Dundalk
Over the moon to be able to share this essay on the seriously overlooked work of Meath poet Francis Ledwidge.
Loved having the opportunity to speak about Dante Gabriel Rossetti's influence on Katharine Tynan's work at the Rossettis: In Relation conference held at the Tate Britain last week! Go check out the fantastic exhibition 'The Rossettis: Radical Romantics' which runs until the 24th of September 2023.
Scribe to those assembled: SEd EGO QUi sCrIpsI hANc hiSTORIAm aUt UERiuS fabUlAM quIbUsdam FIDEM iN hac hiSTORia AUt FaBUlA NOn AcCoMModo. QUaeDam enIm ibi SUNt PrAEstRigia dEmOnuM, qUaeDaM AuTem figmEntA poETiCA, quaEdam SimILIA uErO, quaEdAM nOn, QUAEDAm aD dElECTaTiOnem sTULTorUm
everyone else (read: me) just here for a good time:
I just know the Book of Leinster/Recension II scribe was the Jenny Joyce of the twelfth century
I just know the Book of Leinster/Recension II scribe was the Jenny Joyce of the twelfth century
Lá fhéile Bríde sona daoibh! Tá an tEarrach linn.
You can read the opening of my shortlisted novel Hunt the Hare here! If anyone is thinking of going for Discoveries 2023 when entries open later this month, just do it!
Brigid of the Forge | Culture Night 2021
Brigid of the Forge | Draíocht
So shocked and unbelievably delighted to be shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction's Discoveries 2022 Award!!!
Brigid of Spring | Draíocht
Muire Imbolc! To all who celebrate, including myself! Spring is coming in swift as the new green pokes through the snow.
"Imbolc" By S.R. Harrell, 2025.
Banshee
I drew this a year ago and can definitely say that I've improved
Why do Fae in fairytales always ask for a First Born Child? Like thats so worthless. What are you even going to do with a human baby. They’re literally useless.
You want me to undo a curse? That’ll be 20 bucks, cash only. Bless you with some magical gift? Get me a Gucci Handbag and you’ve got a deal.
You could be getting so much more out of this guys c’mon.
Sometimes it makes you feel nostalgic when you remember the trilogy of Irish folklore, and with it your favorite girls from there ... :)
Hawk Túath
Bit of a long story...
My name is Finn, and I named myself after the giant Finn McCool in Irish mythology. He created the Giant's Causeway.
Full myth from the Giants Causeway Tour website.
Here's the link if you want to read more.
https://www.thegiantscausewaytour.com/the-giants-causeway-story/#:~:text=The%20Myth,hurling%20them%20into%20the%20sea.
As legend has it, Northern Ireland was once home to a giant named Finn McCool (also called Fionn Mac Cumhaill). When another giant – Benandonner, across the Irish Sea in Scotland – threatened Ireland, Finn retaliated by tearing up great chunks of the Antrim coastline and hurling them into the sea. The newly-created path – the Giant’s Causeway – paved a route over the sea for Finn to reach Benandonner.
However, this turns out to be a bad idea as Benandonner is a massive giant, much bigger than Finn! In order to save himself, Finn retreats to Ireland and is disguised as a baby by his quick-thinking wife. When Benandonner arrives, he sees Finn disguised as a baby and realises that if a mere baby is that big, the father must be far larger than Benandonner himself!
Following this realisation, Benandonner rushes back to Scotland, tearing away as much of the Causeway as he can in his haste to put as much distance between Ireland and himself as possible. And thus, the myth of the Giant’s Causeway was born.
normalize asking 'who gave it to you?' after complimenting someone's name
when the Headless Horseman has enough of your pesky spirit-hunting habits and decides to upgrade to a higher level
#higher AC, more difficult to defeat
#just imagine him galloping over the Irish plains
#clop-clop-clop CLANG-CLANG-CLANG clop-clop-clop CLANG-CLANG-GLANG
Frank Dicksee- Study of Armour