A lot of the stories told dealt in the currency of magic – curses and charms.  Others are heroic tales.  Many feature fairies and other supernatural beings such as leprechauns, banshees, sheeries and the Pooka – the most feared of all, a vindictive fairy, sometimes appearing in the guise of the bogeyman himself. 

Tales also exist of pipers being led away, condemned forever to entertain the fairies, and of ‘changelings’ – unwanted fairy children, left to replace a kidnapped human child.  A more benevolent fairy, the small and hairy but very friendly Grogoch, features in many folk stories particularly from the northern glens and Rathlin Island.

Who knows if all or any are based on actual events, but many are connected to actual places such as The Giant’s Causeway, and its legend of Finn MacCool, still maintains a strong presence in our culture to this very day. The following are just a few examples.