Fairy trees are numerous in Ireland. A lone tree, usually though not always a Whitethorn, is often judged to be a fairy tree. According to the legend, fairy people are thought to be descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann (The people of Goddess Danu) who were defeated by the Melesians and consigned to the underworld where they became what we know today as the fairies. They inhabit fairy forts (iron age Raths) and these lone trees are also considered places of special significance in the fairy kingdom. Some of these trees are associated with ancient sites where votive offerings in the form of rags or paper, are left by people to this day. Even in this modern age of internet and globalization, these trees and forts are rarely destroyed as folklore relates many stories in which fairies take out their revenge on those who meddle in their world.
Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna
Slate coasters |
Dimension (L x W x H) | 100 x 100 x 0 Millimetre |
Weight | 125 Gram |