Ancient legends, mystic charms, and superstitions of Ireland

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by Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde

to which is appended a chapter on “The Ancient Race of Ireland”

by the late Sir William Wilde.

London: Ward & Downey

[1887]

Boston, Ticknor

[1888]

Contents

• Preface
• Introduction
• The horned woman
• The legend of Ballytowtas castle
• A Wolf Story
• The Evil Eye
• The Stolen Bride
• Fairy Music
• The Fairy Dance
• Fairy Justice
• The Priest’s Soul
• The Fairy Rac
• The Trial by Fire
• The Lady Witch
• Ethna the Bride
• The Fairies Revenge
• Fairy Help–The Phouka
• The Farmer Punished
• The Farmer’s Wife
• The Midnight Ride
• The Leprehaun
• The Legends of the Western Isles
• The Bride’s Death-Song
• The Child’s Dream
• The Fairy Child
• The Doom
• The Clearing from Guilt
• The Holy Well and the Murderer
• Legends of Innis-Sark–A Woman’s Curse
• Legends of the Dead in the Western Islands
• The Death Sign
• Kathleen
• November Eve
• The Dance of the Dead
• Superstitions Concerning the Dead
• The Fatal Love-Charm
• The Fenian Knights
• Rathlin Island
• The Strange Guests
• The Dead Soldier
• The Three Gifts
• The Fairies as Fallen Angels
• The Fairy Changeling
• Fairy Wiles
• Shaun-Mor
• The Tuatha-de Danaan
• Edain the Queen
• The Royal Steed
• Cathal the King
• The Poet’s Malediction
• Drimial Agus Thorial
• An Irish Adept of the Islands
• The May Festival
• May-Day Superstitions
• Candelemas
• Whitsuntide
• Whitsuntide Legend of the Fairy Horses
• November Spells
• November Eve
• A Terrible Revenge
• The Baal Fires and Dances
• The Fairy Doctress
• Marraige Rites
• The Dead
• The Wake Orgies
• The Ancient Mysteries
• The Power of the Word
• The Poet and the King
• The Sidhe Race
• Music
• Poet Inspiration–Eodain the Poetess
• The Banshee
• Queen Maeve
• Death Signs
• The Hartpole Doom
• Superstitions
• The Fairy Rath
• Fairy Nature
• Irish Nature
• Legends of Animals
• Concerning Dogs
• Concerning Cats
• The King of the Cats
• The Demon Cat
• Cat Nature
• Seanchan the Bard and the King of the Cats
• The Bards
• King Arthur and the Cat
• Concerning Cows
• Fairy Wiles
• The Dead Hand
• The Wicked Widow
• The Butter Mystery
• Concerning Birds
• The Magpie
• The Wren
• The Raven and the Water Wagtail
• The Cuckoo and the Robin Redbreast
• The Cricket
• The Beetle
• The Hare
• The Weasel
• The Properties of Herbs and Their Use in Medicine
• A Love Potion
• Love Dreams
• To Cause Love
• Medical Superstitions and Ancient Charms
• Against Sorrow
• To Win Love
• For the Night Fire (the Fever)
• For a Pain in the Side
• For the Measles
• For the Mad Fever
• Against Enemies
• To Extract a Thorn
• To Cause Hatred between Lovers
• For Love
• How to have Money Always
• For the Great Worm
• For Sore Eyes
• For Pains in the Body
• Against Drowning
• In Time of Battle
• For the Red Rash
• To Tame a Horse
• A Very Ancient Charm against Wounds or Poisons
• For a Sore Breast
• For a Wound
• For the Evil Eye
• For St. Anthony’s Fire
• How to go Invisible
• For Pains
• For a Sprain
• To Cause Love
• For the Bite of a Mad Dog
• For Toothache
• For Freckles
• For a Burn
• For the Memory
• For the Falling Sickness
• For Chin-Cough
• For Rheumatism
• For a Stye on the Eyelid
• To Cure Warts
• For a Stitch in the Side
• For Weak Eyes
• For Water on the Brain
• For Hip Disease
• For the Mumps
• For Epilepsy
• For Depression of Heart
• For the Fairy Dart
• Various Superstitions and Cures
• To Find Stolen Goods
• A Prayer against the Plague
• A Blessing
• A Cure for Cattle
• A Charm for Safety
• An Elixir of Potency
• For the Bite of a Mad Dog
• Dreams
• Fairy Doctors
• Charms by Crystals
• Alectromania
• Fairy Power
• Omens and Superstitions
• That Forebode Evil
• To Attract Bees
• Concerning the Dead
• The Coastguard’s Fate
• Relics
• St. Patrick
• The Well of the Book
• St. Patrick and the Serpent
• St. Patrick and the Princesses
• The Poison Cup
• Divination
• The Blind Poet
• The Story of the Breccan
• Bardic Priviliges
• St. Ciaron
• St. Martin
• St. Bridget
• St. Kieran
• St. Kevin
• Christian Legends
• The Cremave
• Relics for clearing from Guilt
• Innis-Murry
• The Evil Stroke
• The Changeling
• The Fairy Doctor
• The Poet’s Spell
• Charm for the Fairy Stroke
• The Farmer’s Fate
• The Fairy Rath
• The Holy Wells
• The White Stones
• The Sacred Trout
• St. Augustine’s Well
• The Grilled Trout
• Legend of Neal-Mor
• St John’s Well
• The Well of Fionn Ma-Coul
• St. Seenan’s Well
• Kil-na-Greina
• The Well of Worship
• The Bride’s Well
• The Irish Fakir
• Sacred Trees
• Tober-na-Dara
• Lough Neagh
• The Doctor and the Fairy Princess
• A Holy Well
• A Sacred Island
• The Lake of Revenge
• Scenes at a Holy Well
• Lough Foyle
• The Hen’s Castle
• Sliabh-Mish, County Kerry
• The Skelligs of Kerry
• The Sidhe Race
• The Hurling Match
• The Ride with the Fairies
• The Fairy Spy
• The Dark Horseman
• Sheela-na-Skean
• Captain Webb, The Robber Chief
• The Mayo Captain and Feenish the Mare
• The Bardic Race
• The Ancient Race
• The Antiquities of Ireland
• Early Irish Art
• Our Ancient Capital