Story Archaeology

The story of Sinann, who gave her name to the river Shannon, was first recorded, in written form, in the Metrical Dindshenchas, 'the Lore of Prominent Places'. Such tales morph and shapeshift as they...

William Robinson: Tallanbanna with cloud front. 1988 The Irish Otherworld goes by many names, Tír na mBeo, the Land of the Living, or Emhain Abhlach, the Plain of Apples, for example. It is a world...

Animal companions have played a variety of important roles in human societies over the millenia. Join Chris as she explores how dogs, cats and even the occasional crane, have been regarded and regula...

From 'Understories', by Phillipa Klaiber Phillipa Klaiber is an artist, specialising in photography, who celebrates stories in the landscape through her evocative images and poetry. Join Chri...

Recent DNA testing on a long ignored jawbone fragment has opened a viewpoint on the distant past to when and how animal companions began to alter the everyday lives of human communities. Join Chris ...

Sheebeg in the snow Dolmens, Barrows, Cairn ? They were built millennia ago to transport the human memory and imagination from one world to another and, in so many different ways, they still do. Jo...

The Eglone Stone, Moytura The settling of the The Tuatha Dé Danann in Ireland and their struggle against the mysterious Fomoire, form the central strand of the ancient Irish Mythological Story Cyc...

Stories in the landscape of Uzbekistan Sunrise over Khiva .One of the best travel experiences is to have all your preconceived perceptions overthrown without having time to gathered them up a...

This audio re-telling of ‘The Battle of Moytura’ is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In this final part. The heroes Ogma, the Dagda along with Lugh set out to put thing...

his audio re-telling of 'The Battle of Moytura' is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 11: The Great Battle, the Dé Danann, and the Fomoire come to blows and we d...

Heapstown Cairn This audio re-telling of 'The Battle of Moytura' is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 10: The Well and the Forge, Dian Cécht and Goibnu keep...

This audio re-telling of 'The Battle of Moytura' is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 9: The Muster, Lugh gathers together the finest heroes and craftsmen from ...

This audio re-telling of 'The Battle of Moytura' is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 8, What the Dagda Did Next , the 'Big Man' gets to consume a whole cauldr...

Lugh: Jim Fitzpatrick The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 7, The...

The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. We find out what the Fomoire king , El...

Jim FitzPatrick The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 5, Betrayal,...

ceramic on glass by Chris Thompson The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. I...

The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 3, Wasteland, Dagda tells how t...

The battle of Moytura is bettter known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 2, Shadow of the Fomoire, ...

Jim Fitzpatrick The battle of Moytura is better known as the Mythological story cycle. This audio re-telling is especially designed for, but not limited to, a younger audience. In part 1, The F...

Fergus was a man with a plan. He wanted to become, and remain, the most important king in Ulster. Discover how this got him into such trouble with a horrible water monster! This entertaining, and fun...

Findabhair was the long suffering daughter of Medh of Connacht,. She was used to her mother's dramatic determination, but the quarrel she overheard one night, began a long series of events that event...

Storytelling in changing times Kate Lionis It is always exciting when new scientific research is able to throw a new light on ancient stories. Join Chris in a new and wide-ranging ramble as sh...

Every hero in Irish stories had something to boast about, a super-skill or a magical piece of kit! Finn and his friends were no different. They were the best fighters, the greatest hunters, and the m...

This is probably one of the best - ever- Halloween (Samhain) stories. During this Rathcroghan feast, given by Ailill and Medb, Nera, has to face up to his boastful words and undertake a terrifying qu...

Suggested age range around nine and up The Two Pig Keeper poets, more often known as 'The Two Swineherds' is an early origin tale for the battle of the Two Bulls between Connacht and Ulster. It...

Suggested age range around nine and up. So just what did Cú Chulainn get up to while he was still only a boy and how did he become such a famous warrior? This story is told by Scathach the woma...

Suggested age range: 9 and on up! A bit about the original story When Bricriu decides to hold a party, anyone who is anyone must put in an appearance. But Bricriu has no intention of getting in...

A Finn MacCumhail story Suggested age range: 9 and on up! In this hilarious tale we take a canter through a Fenian tale of surly servants, a seabound horse, , hairy horrors and a battle with...

Sana Malik grew up in Pakistan, and has been a widely travelled humanitarian aid-worker. Ireland is now her spiritual home. Join Chris and Sana as they discuss two favourite Irish stories, 'The Voy...

Tamlyn Young is a Limerick lecturer and artist specialising., especially in her current project on augmented reality art and storytelling, to create place-based storytelling. She describes her prac...

The Eglone Stone, Moytura What makes a story mythic? Why have so many cultures gathered, protected and passed on mythological stories? And, why do they matter today? Join Chris as she takes a per...

Daniel Curley is an archaeologist, author and manager of the Rathcroghan Visitor Centre . who has taken a particular interest in the mythological Connacht hero, Fraích. Join Chris and Daniel as they ...

Stories of The Big Wind of 1839 have been told and retold in Ireland for all of 186 years. Join Chris as she explores what makes weather events such as Oíche na Gaoithe Móire so memorable and conside...

Leafless Ash in June (background) The effects of the die-back disease are slowly destroying most of Ireland's beautiful ash trees. Join Chris as she explores the sad story of this tree-tragedy th...

Lisa Bitel is a Professor of Religion and a Medieval historian specializing in Britain and Ireland. and is the author of her new book 'Otherworld'. Join Chris and Lisa as they explore some favou...

Designed to protect and celebrate the unique Karst landscape of South Roscommon and its embedded mythologies and stories, the Uí Máine community project has grown and developed from the inspired work ...

An Acallam na nÉces Samhain Special In this seasonal special, the Story Archaeologists compare two stories of Samhain.  But what could such stories tell us about life 100 or even 1,000 years ago? F...

Banbha Banbha is one of the three Dé Danann sisters, daughters of Ernmas, who gave their names to the land of Ireland, Ériu is the best known of the the three but Banbha has another, older, and l...

The festival of Samhain, is one that has been celebrated, in one form or another, for a very long time. In the early Irish stories it was a time for gatherings and feasting. But how has it change...

Designed by Morgane Suquart for 'Paris 24' Olympics opening ceremony. This 'Ramble' is inpired by the silver rider on the River Seine at the Paris 24 Olympics. So join Chris as she explores the h...

New Scientific evidence supporting the origin of the altar stone at Stonhenge supports a better understanding of the of societal connections and collaborative co-operation to be found between the com...

The SchoolsCollection | dúchas.ie The National Folklore Schools Collection was compiled in 1937 with stories and memories collected with the support of schools from all over Ireland. Itis one ...

Newgrange at Twilight ~ Anthony Murphy Anthony Murphy, is an author, journalist, astronomer and photographer. He also curates the wondeful Mythical Ireland website. Join Chris and Anthony as they...

Grianstad an Gheimhridh, the winter solstice is that special moment when the year turns and the hours of daylight, begin slowly to increase. This time of year has long been a cause for reflection an...

Professor Ralph Kenna As many friends of Story Archaeology will now have heard, Professor Ralph Kenna passed away and left the world we know, last Thursday. I received the sad news from his wife, C...

The Táin Bó Cúailnge is an dramatic epic well worth the telling but with some challenging themes including broken loyalties and friendships with destruction laid on the land, for the sake of st...

The The Lebor Gabála tells of a series of mythical Irish migration stories, which can be traced back to a very early date. Its history is somewhat complex and, although fascinating, it is not an 'ea...

Culture heroes, ancestor figures, genii loci, gods and godesses ... Can all, or indeed, any of these terms be useful in defining some favourite characters in Irish mythology, Join Chris as she ta...

The Morrigan by Kate Lionis Meet Kate Lionis one of the seven adult winners of the ÉIRÍ art competition and project. So, join Chris and Kate as they discuss, the many creative possiblities of digi...