Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

This episode focuses on a forgotten Goddess in Irish mythology. We celebrate Lughnasa or Lughnasadh as the first harvest day, but there was once a greater celebration known as the Tailteann Games in Meath and all over Ireland. These games were in honour of the Goddess Tailtu, foster mother of Lugh, whose name we remember as the God of the summer sun and the archetypal mythic warrior… but what of his favourite foster mother? 

Today’s episode is dedicated to Tailtiu as we are in the middle of August, which in Irish is the month of Lughnasa. We will resume our Fianna series in the next episode after this story.

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes mentions of family separation and physical violence.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Irish Mythological Storytelling

The Goddess Tailtiu - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Lughnasa Special - Episode 256

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

This episode continues our brand new series, all about the band of warriors known as the Fianna.

This is the origin story of how the legendary band of warriors we know so well in stories, came to be. 

It's a love story of sorts, and like most Irish love stories, the tragedy is around the corner, but there's a shining light left behind all the same.

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes mentions of family separation and physical violence.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Irish Mythological Storytelling0

The Fianna - Bodhmall - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 257

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

This episode continues our new series, all about the band of warriors known as the Fianna.

In this story, we’ll meet a less familiar character, but a trusted warrior woman of the Fianna. 

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes mentions of physical violence, physical harm, violent death and mutilation.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

The Fianna - Liath Luachra - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 258

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

This episode continues our new series, all about the band of warriors known as the Fianna.

In this story, we continue with young Fionn’s upbringing in the wilderness, and an unexpected challenge for his foster mothers.

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes mentions of child endangerment, violence and child abduction.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

The Fianna - Kidnap - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 259

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

We are telling some stories of the creatures of the Otherworld in the lead-up to the Celtic New Year: Samhain

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Fire Festivals, and dive into the meaning and ritual over the course of a year, registration is currently open for our Turning the Wheel Together Storytelling Course.
 
More info on our website: http://candlelittales.ie/

This is a re-release of a previous episode from last year’s Samhain stories. Remember you can deep dive through our YouTube playlist to follow all our previous Samhain Story Podcasts. This is one of the stories reputed to have inspired the vampiric classic, Dracula. The tale of a wicked chieftain who could not be killed, and could only be appeased by offerings of human blood

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes allusions to domestic abuse, coercive control, child abuse, and mention of death by burning.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Samhain Stories - Abhartach - Re - Release

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

We are telling some stories of the creatures of the Otherworld in the lead-up to the Celtic New Year: Samhain

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Fire Festivals, and dive into the meaning and ritual over the course of a year, registration is currently open for our Turning the Wheel Together Storytelling Course.

More info on our website: http://candlelittales.ie/

This is a re-release of a previous episode from a few years ago. Remember you can deep dive through our YouTube playlist to follow all our previous Samhain Story Podcasts. This is one of the stories of the dangers of the fairies in Irish folklore, and a changeling a little older than one might expect.

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes allusions to medical trauma, poisoning, mental health issues and death.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Samhain Stories - The Taking Of Biddy Purcell - Re - Releae

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

In this episode, we are taking a seasonal break from our Fianna series to bring you stories of the Otherworld in the lead-up to the Celtic New Year: Samhain

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Fire Festivals, and dive into the meaning and ritual over the course of a year, applications are currently open for our Wheel of the Year Storytelling Course. 
More info on our website: http://candlelittales.ie/

This is story is a dark tale, a recreation of an older story, playing with the remaking of modern tales for new audiences with old archetypes who show their ugly faces. 
We heard this story told to a group at Samhain a few years ago and it stuck with us. We wanted to revisit it and when we met THE WRAN @thewranmusic (the musicians on this track) who had a tune called the Fear Dearg, we knew we needed to collaborate. 

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes allusions to domestic abuse, coercive control, child abuse, and mention of death by burning..

@thewranmusic


THE WRAN: Emerging from the Comeragh mountains of County Waterford. Four brothers form the brand-new trad fusion band THE WRAN.
The Wran infuse traditional Irish tunes with contemporary folk nuances. Their sound is built upon banjo, acoustic guitar, accordion, electric guitar, bass and drums, (to name a few).
Their performances weave old folk tunes with original compositions, enchanting audiences with their authenticity and innovation. The band has only begun their journey, but their dynamic energy and musical prowess leave an enduring impact.
@thewranmusic
We hope you enjoy their music at the end of this episode.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Irish Mythology Podcast

Samhain Stories - Fear Dearg - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 260  (music by THE WRAN)

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

We are telling some stories of the creatures of the Otherworld in the lead-up to the Celtic New Year: Samhain

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Fire Festivals, and dive into the meaning and ritual over the course of a year, registration is currently open for our Turning the Wheel Together Storytelling Course.

More info on our website: http://candlelittales.ie/

This is a re-release of a previous episode from a few years ago. Remember you can deep dive through our YouTube playlist to follow all our previous Samhain Story Podcasts. This is based on the true and tragic story of Bridget Cleary, which is sometimes referred to as a “witch burning”. In fact, her community believed that Bridget had been taken by fairies, and turned to violence in a misguided attempt to get her “back”.

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes allusions to domestic violence, mental health issues, torture and death.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Samhain Stories - The Burning of Bridget Cleary - Re-release

Samhain Stories - The Burning Of Bridget Cleary - Re - Release

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

In this episode, we’re continuing our seasonal break from our Fianna series to bring you stories of the Otherworld in the lead-up to the Celtic New Year: Samhain

If you’d like to learn more about the Celtic Fire Festivals, and dive into the meaning and ritual over the course of a year, applications are still open for our Wheel of the Year Storytelling Course, and filling up fast! 
More info on our website: http://candlelittales.ie/

This story is a retelling of a historical case, the murder of Bridget Cleary. In this version, we see things from another perspective, no less tragic and senseless. 

The music and the song for this Podcast was created Saoirse Miller, an independent singer-songwriter, composer and producer from Dublin. Drawing inspiration from Irish folklore, pagan mysticism and hauntology, Saoirse's music blends natural sounds with electronics and her otherworldly vocals, to create ethereal electro-acoustic ambience. Her repertoire explores distinctive new-wave trad as well as alternative electro-pop. Her live performances blend her distinct vocals with electronics, live saxophone, clarinet and poetry with live audio-reactive visuals, to teleport the audience into her mystical world. You can find her music here 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/1UaszBnRpKLugFKFpaQ6Pq?si=Ew7e7XqsSgOHeeiMKUQaIw

and give her a follow on instagram 

https://www.instagram.com/saoirsemiller/profilecard/?igsh=M3I2encybHpyb2t6

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes allusions to domestic abuse, coercive control, child abuse, and mention of death by burning..

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

Samhain Stories - Bridget Cleary - The Other Side - Re-release

Samhain Stories - Bridget Cleary - The Other Side - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 261

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast.

After our seasonal break for some Samhain-themed storytelling and spookier stories, this episode continues our newest linked series on the Fianna! The first episode of this series is episode 254, so listen back if you want to learn all about the band of warriors known as the Fianna.

In this story, we continue with young Fionn’s upbringing in the wilderness, and we see how the young boy learns plays, and trains in his wild surroundings. When he sees the ancient game of hurling for the first time (still the fastest field sport in the world by the way), he becomes utterly fascinated and completely obsessed with it.

In this episode, we are also continuing the tradition of collaborating with musicians that we love working with. For this one, we have teamed up with Caoimhín (pronounced Kwe-Veen”.

Known to some as the pide piper of the Celtic revolution, Caoimhín has performed several shows with Aron and Sorcha in the last two years and so he asked to produce a story he would like; “something with a bita “UMFF”...and maybe some hurling if possible”.
We are delighted to share his work with you, and we hope you enjoy the music he created for this Podcast. 

Caoimhí is also a multi-instrumentalist, a stringent producer of his own music and a singer-songwriter from Dublin. He mostly sings in the Irish language and draws inspiration from the landscape, the folklore & the mythology of the land for his music. You can find his music online here  
Social media handle @caoimhínceol 

Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of yourself as you listen. This story includes mentions of child endangerment and some aspects of violence.

This podcast is proudly sponsored by the people who donate to us each month via
https://www.patreon.com/candlelittales and anyone who sends us a once-off donation through the Paypal button on our website http://candlelittales.ie/

Find details of our upcoming shows here: https://candlelittales.ie/performances/

https://www.youtube.com/c/CandlelitTales
https://open.spotify.com/show/2102WuUUe9Jl6cGXNwQEKf
https://soundcloud.com/candlelittales
https://twitter.com/candlelit_tales?lang=en
https://www.facebook.com/candlelittales
https://www.instagram.com/candlelittales
https://vimeo.com/user52850249
https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/00d5c29b-ee1a-4078-aacf-62e1a94522dc/candlelit-tales-irish-mythology-podcast

Irish Mythological Storytelling Podcast

The Fianna - Boyhood - Irish Mythology Storytelling - Episode 262 - Collaborations

We are a group of storytellers, performers, and musicians. We tell Irish myths to a live audience with live music.
Candlelit Tales was founded by brother-sister storytelling duo Aron and Sorcha Hegarty. Driven by a passion for Irish mythology, we started retelling the stories to a near-empty room upstairs in a Dublin pub one rainy evening in November. The next week, the room was a lot less empty, and we were joined by musician Ru O’Sé. By the fourth week, the room was full, and so was the hall outside. We realised that when we share our passion, it becomes contagious. And we’ve been telling stories and playing music from that day to this. 

Since then, over the past five years of telling stories in the capital of this nation of storytellers, we have developed and refined our uniquely expressive, naturalistic and modern style. Live music is the heartbeat of all our performances, and a live original music score composed by a team of talented musicians drives the rhythm of the stories

New tracks tagged #candlelittales