After reading Simon Stålenhag’s artwork/book ‘The Electric State’ (which bears only a minimal relation to the movie) and reviewing it in my newsletter (Vóg), I was intrigued enough to try another of his works. This time, its ‘Things from the Flood’, which I’ll also review on Vóg at the end of the month. I have… Read more »
‘Tristan and Iseult‘ is a medieval romance that was adapted in the 12th century from earlier tales and tells of the illicit love affair between a Cornish warrior called Tristan and an Irishwoman called Iseult (in the stories she’s often described as a ‘princess’ – but that’s really a more modern English concept that didn’t exist… Read more »
It seems a bit odd but in March 2025, the United Kingdom’s ‘Royal Mail’ released a stamp featuring the legendary Irish figure, Fionn mac Cumhaill, as part of a series intended to capture legends from different parts of the ‘United Kingdom’. The Fionn mac Cumhaill image (by artist Adam Simpson) was included in the series… Read more »
A video snippet of the woman warrior Liath Luachra (from the ‘Fionn mac Cumhaill Series’ of novels) making her way through the woods near the settlement of Ráth Bládhma. Book one of the Fionn mac Cumhaill Series (FIONN: Defence of Ráth Bládhma) is currently on sale at $0.99/£0.99 in the US /UK. The second book… Read more »
‘Land of the Ever Young’, a depiction of Tír na nÓg by the English book illustrator Arthur Rackham (from back in 1920). Rackham was an excellent artist and simply following the terms of reference he was given, but his anglicized, ‘fantasy-type’ representations of Irish culture set a detrimentally false ‘look’ and narrative that we’re still… Read more »
I released a book today (‘FIONN: The Betrayal’) that provides a more authentic version of the Irish mythological hero’s life and adventures. Its currently available in Australiana and New Zealand ebook stores but as the sun moves across the earth, it’ll be released in other jurisdictions as well. The second-last book in the series, this… Read more »
It’s interesting for me to look back on some of the older posts and articles on my website (at Irish Imbas Books) and see how my plans and intentions have changed over the years. I recently came across an article dating from seven years back where I’d outlined some of my book plans including *… Read more »
The woman warrior Liath Luachra (The Grey One) has never been the easiest person to talk to which means that her interactions with someone as bullish as Crimall (a Clann Baoisnce warrior) often provides some good opportunity for writing dialogue. In ‘Liath Luachra: The Seeking’, this opportunity is heightened further when Crimall has suspicions around… Read more »
Generally speaking, Irish cultural stories and ‘mythology’ get bastardized when represented in creative projects produced by overseas interests. The trailer dates from 2005 and refers to a film called ‘Finn mac Cool’ (Ouch! Brutal anglicization of the name and not a good start for cultural authenticity). It is, in fact, a promotional piece for a… Read more »
Attached is an image of ‘Finegas’ from the late medieval narratives of the Fianaigecht tales. as interpreted by artist John Walters. ‘Finegas’ is actually a bit of a trap for those unwary enough to step into it. If you look at the original Irish name of course, you can figure out pretty much, why that… Read more »
Cutting through several hundred years of misinformation and misunderstandings with respect to ‘Irish Mythology’ is a difficult task at the best of times. These days, ‘Irish mythology’ tends to be a mixed hodge-podge of elements spawned by decades of commercial fantasy entertainment. This (and a number of other influences) has essentially meant its now a… Read more »
We’re back in the office this last day or two and, in between writing FIONN 6, I’ve done a small piece on ‘Beacáin Scammalach’ – Cloud Mushroom – you’ll know what that is if you’ve read any of the ‘Liath Luachra’ books. This article looks at why Liath Luachra uses it, why I’ve included it… Read more »
