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The Fomorians are ready to march to meet the Tuath Dé in Battle but their battle plans omitted a plan to ask the land spirits for permission to cross their territory. Will their lack of respect come back to bite them? Starring: Balor, Bres, Elatha, Indech Mac Dé Domhnan, and his unnamed daughter. Co-Starring various Fomorians, the forest, a river. A cautionary tale on why you should always make sure your family aren’t mad at you before you need their help. credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode Cinematic Music-03 from https://freesound.org/people/Michael-DB/ on freesound (4.0) ending music for war game in vr soundtrack v2 .mp3 by https://freesound.org/people/klavo1985/ on Freesound (4.0) RDIOLyraCloudMusic.mp3 Global Warming Studios Albuquerque, NM  https://freesound.org/people/globalwm/ on Freesound (3.0) marching boots.wav from http://www.freesound.org/people/klankbeeld/ (4.0) Crowd of extras in a waiting room from https://freesound.org/people/nebulousflynn/ (3.0) Crowd of extras in a waiting room from https://freesound.org/people/nebulousflynn/ (3.0) All other sounds cc 0 licence from freesound.org Sponsored by McCaffrey Crafts https://mccaffreycrafts.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

The episode contains some explicit content.  The Dagda is on a mission. He travels to the west to scout the invading Fomorian armies, but it's not all business for the supreme father. On his way, he meets up with The Morrígan for their annual tryst and later on, he hooks up with an unlikely lover. All's fair in love, war and sorcery.  We talk censorship, sex in mythology, the Tao of The Dagda, Ancient Mesopotamian smut and the Greek god Pan.  Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org Sponsored by McCaffrey Crafts  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

We examine the curious folklore around the figure of St. Sheelah who isn't mentioned in Patrick's writings or in the works of his hagiographers. We travel to Newfoundland, Canada and Australia in search of answers. Written, presented and produced  by  Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín. With special thanks to Theresa O'Keefe and Dymphna Lonergan. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

We talk about that old Irish harbinger of death, the Banshee, her connections with Badbh and the Morrigan, the tradition of keening at funerals and Professor of folklore, Patricia Lysaght's extensive research on the topic. credits Written, presented and produced  by Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín. Music – Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Lugh is about to lead the Tuath Dé to war, but first he wants to bring his father's killers to justice.  We talk Lugh's epithets, ridiculous fines and reading the fine print.  credits Spnspored by mccaffreycrafts.com Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. This episode is sponsored by McCaffrey Crafts https://mccaffreycrafts.com Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Balor, a giant who lives in an invisible tower, commands one of the most fearsome armies that has ever been. He is prosperous, respected and feared, but there is something in his past that torments him. When Bres and the druid Lobais return to Balor's island stronghold from mainland Ireland  reporting the rise of a new hero, the skeletons in his closet grow new flesh. We talk Balor, his supposedly evil eye, place lore, prophecy, sleep paralysis, Assasin's Creed Valhalla - Wrath of the Druids, the 90's Balor PC RPG, Sauron in Lord of the Rings, Finn Balor in the WWE, and American Gods.  credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Lugh goes to Tara to claim his place in the hall of the gods but first he will have to prove his value to them. To do this he must win at an ancient Irish version of chess called fidchell and undergo a test of strength from Ogma. We talk about Lugh, the festival of Lughnasadh, the continental celtic god Lugus, and the Welsh mythological figure Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org except "chanting Lugh's name", by Marcas O'hUiscín. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Bres and the Fomorians are raiding Ireland but Nuada doesn't want to drag the Tuath Dé into another war. Lugh and Bodbh Dearg take matters into their own hands and organise the riders of the sidhe into a resistance militia. We also talk placelore, Lughnasadh and what archaeology can tell us about the worship of Lugh. credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org except "riders of the sidhe chanting Lugh's name", by Marcas O'hUiscín, --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Vikings! Fish! Goat headed men! Sliding into DM's Medieval style! A clue to the biggest mystery in Irish Mythology! Bres has lost the kingship of the Tuath Dé and now he's throwing a strop, but he has a plan. Maybe his estranged father and his people the Fomorian's can help him. He already knows one of them, a sinister figure known as Balor. Before anything can happen, he has to find his dad and the only one who can help is his mother, the Goddess Éire (EIriu). We talk Viking influence on Irish Mythology, misinterpreted poetry and the creation of deities, a disused Irish word that might reveal the identity of... Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

It's time for Midir to face the music. He and Étain have been enjoying an extended honeymoon at Brú na Bóinne as guests of Aengus, but now he must return to Brí Leith where Fuamnach, the wife he left behind waits. Did we mention that Fuamnach is a powerful sorceress?  Starring: Midir, Étain, Fuamnach. Co-Starring Aengus, The Dagda, Ogma, Lugh.  We talk polygamy in early medieval Ireland, Brehon Law, sorcery , flies in mythology, story adaptation and what the Tao te Ching has to say about water. A cautionary tale on you should consult your first wife before bringing home a second one. Oh, and you might want to listen to the very end. credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

A look at what's ahead this summer on the Irish Mythology Podcast.  The conclusion of subtale 1 of The Wooing of Etain The Fate of the Sons of Tuireann The Second Battle of Moytura Lugh, Balor and the Formorians, plus more from The Morrigan, The Dagda and Ogma. Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Midir loses an eye while trying to break up a fight; Dian Cecht works some healing magic; Aengus goes up to Down to woo Étaín for Midir; The Dagda fights an Octopus; WB Yeats is CANCELLED! We ask if Aengus really was a god of love and/or a god of poetry and how he came to be associated with these things and we talk about family and networks of mutual aid. There's a lot to unpack in this episode, the penultimate chapter in the first sub-tale of The Woing of Étain.  Support our work and get access to bonus content on our Patreon. credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Patrick has had a lot of success spreading the word of God in Ireland, but one native deity and his followers are not going without a fight. Who will win this epic confrontation? Patrick versus Crom Cruach; This time it's biblical! We talk Patrick, Cromm Cruach, hagiography, human sacrifice, Lóegaire mac Néill, and the different ways Christianity and native Irish Paganism interacted. We also make a bit of time to talk old St. Patrick's Day customs.  credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Aengus believes he is the son of Midir, his foster father, but gets a rude awakening when a jealous Fir Bolg youth tells him otherwise. On finding out his father is actually The Dagda, the King in the Sidhe, he sets out to meet him and claim a Sidhe of his own. There's one slight problem though; Someone already occupies the mound The Dagda had in mind for his son. That someone is the husband of Aengus's mother, the one The Dagda had already duped when he had an affair with Boann.  A cautionary tale on why you should read the fine print of any contract.  credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Brigid returns from tending her flock to see women huddled around the hearth with only a bit of bread between them. A bit of divine magic might be just what the doctor ordered.  We talk about the goddess Brigid, Saint Brigid, how they are connected and why she is the patron of the festival of Imbolc, also known as St. Brigid's Day or Lá Fheile Bride.  credits Written, presented and produced  by Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org Except Music for a film by EvanJones4 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence on freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

The Dagda has got his groove back, but though his power is restored, he longs for Boann, goddess and wife of his steward, Elcmar. He makes use of his control of the Sun and time to not only make a tryst possible, but to hide the conception and birth of a son. Despite the title, Étain doesn’t appear in today’s story as she isn’t introduced until later in the Saga. We ask: What was The Dagda’s role in myth and in the old pagan religion? Why is this story associated with the Winter Solstice? Does this story hint at the remnant of a pre-Celtic religious tradition? What was the significance of Newgrange for ancient astronomers? Could the Egyptian Book of the Dead help us interpret the importance of the Solstice at Newgrange for the dead? credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

The Dagda has had enough of Bres's demands of his labour and Cridenbel's demands of his hospitality. Now, with the help of a magical child and a satirist, The Dagda Strikes Back. A cautionary tale outlining why you should always give your guests something decent with their cuppa. Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org (except Door - Stone - Large - by DWO Boyle attribution licence at freesound) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Marcas and Stephie talk about the various tales from Irish Mythology that reference Samhain and the ghastly cast of ghoulish entities associated with them. We also talk folklore, customs, games, robbing pallets for the bonfire and dressing up in bin bags to go out and scare your neighbours.  No main story this week but we do have one on our patreon, info below.  Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Dian Cecht receives Ogma’s message and sets out to find a way of fighting back against Bres’s tyranny. He recruits the blacksmith Gobniu and the silversmith Credne to help him create a new arm for the former High Chief of the Gods, Nuada. What was Dian Cecht's role in myth and in the old pagan religion? What is Dian Cecht’s relationship to Brehon Law? What makes Dian Cecht a symbol of the medical profession? Why were Blacksmiths considered to have supernatural powers? How do we resolve contradictions in medieval mythological texts? credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message

Ogma suffers under the reign of Bres, but from this suffering comes a great revelation.  We talk about Ogma, ogham script, attitudes to work in myth, and the Irish language. We ask: What was Ogma's role in myth and in the old pagan religion? What is Ogma's relationship to other deities? What was the Ogham system of writing? What attitudes to work in medieval Ireland are represented in this story? Are metaphors about the origins of language encoded in tales from mythology? Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode All sounds cc licence from freesound.org Full show notes available at irishmythologypodcast.ie --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/irishmythology/message