The Fairies (Part two).

 

 

Fairies. (Part 2).

 The Tuatha de Danann were said to be immortal and that the only thing that could harm them was iron. The reason for this may have a deeper meaning. It has been suggested that the Tuatha de Danann were a Bronze Age race that was defeated by an Iron Age race, the Milesians. Legend has it that the two races met in battle and the iron weapons of the Milesians proved far superior to the Bronze weapons of the Tuatha de Danann.

The Tuatha de Danann fled and went underground hiding in the caves, mountains and hidden valleys. They became known as the fair folk of the hills due to their fair hair and complexion. This in time became fair folk of the Sidhe (mounds) eventually it became fairy folk. They are said to fear iron because it was responsible for their defeat and they flee from it whenever they see it.

The people of the mounds (Daoine sidhe/ Deena shee), commonly known today as ‘Fairies’, live all over Ireland. The places they live are called forts, raths, or mounds. A fairy king or Queen rules each of these places. At times it is said you can hear sounds of music and merriment coming from the fairy places. It’s believed that Turlough O’Carolan a famous Harper in the 18th century fell asleep on a fairy mound and received the gift of fairy music. Some say it is this gift of fairy magic that gives Celtic music its unique sound even today.

A favourite gathering place for Irish fairies is under a Hawthorne tree. These are usually encircled by a fairy ring of flowers. Certain Hawthorne’s are considered sacred in Ireland. As recently as 1999 in Latoon, County Clare a multimillion-pound highway was diverted so it wouldn’t uproot a lone Hawthorne tree. It was believed if the tree was disturbed everyone that drove on the new road would have bad luck. Irish fairy superstitions say it is best never to disturb these places.

Fairy paths are the routes fairies use to get from here to there and are all over Ireland. Never build a house on a fairy path. The best way to avoid this is to set four posts at the corner of the site and leave them there overnight. If they are still standing in the morning then it is safe to build there. If any have fallen or are moved try another spot. You don’t want your house on a fairy path. You would never have any peace.

Some of the superstitions that are associated with fairies include:

A pair of shovels crossed at the mouth of a grave is believed to keep out malevolent fairies. This Irish fairy superstition is still practiced today in some parts of Ireland.

Carry an iron nail or some other piece of iron as protection against the ‘gentry’.

In the western islands of Connemara it is believed the dead can be heard laughing with the fairies and spinning flax at night. One girl swore she heard her dead mother's voice singing from inside a fairy mound. The laughing and singing lasts for a year and a day then stops.

Old stories were told that included fairies. It was just taken for granted that these stories were all true because it was the natural order of things that they truly were part of the real world.

As the science of the day began to find cures for mankind's aliments belief in Irish fairies began to decline, but not completely.

Secretly many people are careful not to offend the Good People. Up until the year 1700 virtually everyone in Ireland believed in fairies from royalty down to the rural peasants. Not even the arrival of Christianity in the fifth century could dispel this belief.

Today some people suggest that only the uneducated believe in fairies. The reason for this could be because the uneducated would be the only ones to admit to belief in fairies. Anyone else would never admit to your face this belief for fear of ridicule.

To this day in Ireland some people still practice rituals to appease the Good People even though they may not be aware of what they are doing.

On May morning some people collect flowers especially primroses to spread around their doors and windows. This is done to keep out the malevolent fairies. They may or may not know why they do this. They would never admit to you or me why they do this and yet it is still done and I think that speaks for itself. 

Some of these old superstitions were given new meaning with the coming of Christianity.  Whether you believe in the fairies or not all I will say is that their stories are some of the threads that make up the rich tapestry that we call Irish folklore and superstition and I for one would never dream of denying them their place in the stories we tell today.