Tales of Britain and Ireland

A Ghost Story episode for Christmas from the pen of.... well not the master teller of ghost stories.

In 1911 Elliot O'Donnell released Scottish Ghost Stories. It was reviewed in the Observer alongside MR James's new work published at about the same time - More Ghost Stories of an Antiquary.

Of Scottish Ghost Stories the observer reviewer had this to say:



"Beside Dr James’s Mr O’Donnell’s ghost stories are foolish and and feeble things… if any of the bogles whom Mr Donnel has now expounded in five volumes have any basis [in fact] we can only commiserate the ordinary ghost on its tameness, sameness and generally imperfect equipment of horror as compared with the eerie and ingenious spectres of Dr James."



So of course in this episode I tell Elliot O'Donnell ghost story - which is distinctly Scottish. I hope you enjoy this imperfect equipment of horror nonetheless.

Musical credits and sources at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-57-the-ghosts-of-donaldgowerie-house/

#GhostStory #Folklore #mythsandlegends

Tales of Mermaids in the Peak District - notably far from the sea, also featuring Sailors, Witches and Watches, discussions of mermaid biology and by far my longest discussion section to date.

If you like muddy holes and wet fishy women then this is the podcast episode that you've been waiting for.

For sources and more information see the episode page on the website at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-56-peak-mermaid/

#Folklore #Mythology #Folktales #Mermaids #Peakdistrict.

A bloody Scottish tale featuring a locked room mystery, something fishy, unusual naming conventions (women only), and a little ENM to top it off. 

Musical credits, sources and more on the episode page at Tales of Britain and Ireland.com

#Folklore #Folktale #Fairytale #Storytelling #mythology #legends #celticlegend #celticmyth

Returning with a splash, this episode I'm telling one of my favourite Irish tales.



We're on the west coast and knives are out, the waves are rolling in, there's weird women and weddings, strange things lurk in deep waters and perhaps by the end of the story we'll finally answer the age old question: is everything really better down where it's wetter?

Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-54-the-knife-against-the-wave/

#Folklore #Myths #Legends #IrishFolklore

A bonus Halloween episode featuring a very well known terrifying tale of a supernatural encounter in Cumbria.

Featuring: Victorians!  A perfectly named gothic villain, who is not a villain! A surprising Irish detour! Unnecessary speculation and intimation on my behalf! And an image which has haunted the nightmares of generations of English children. Or at the very least... mine.

Have a great Halloween and Samhain everyone, hope you enjoy this trip to the incredibly pleasing to say... Croglin Grange.

Musical credits and sources at: Tales of Britain and Ireland: Croglin Grange

#Folklore #Myths #Legends #Storytelling