In Irish folklore, fairies are very different from the small winged creatures of the fairy tales we all know as children. Instead they are considered to be descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a God like race who lived in Ireland long ago but were beaten in battle by the Milesians and condemned to live under the ground where it is said they live to this day. Their name “Aos Sidhe” literally means “People of the mounds”. The mounds referred to are the Raths (ancient dwelling sites and forts) that dot the countryside. It is considered bad luck to interfere with these Raths or lone trees (especially Hawthorns) which are also associated with the fairies. These superstitions have served the countryside well as Ireland has many more surviving early sites than most countries in Europe as even nowadays people are loath to take a chance. Proof of this was a major by-pass road in County Clare which in the late 1990s was rerouted to avoid destroying a well-known fairy tree.
Illustration from an original by Margaret McKenna
Slate coasters |
Dimension (L x W x H) | 100 x 100 x 0 Millimetre |
Weight | 125 Gram |