Meet the Mythical Creatures of Ireland

Steeped in tales of magic, Ireland is filled with mischievous and well-meaning mythical creatures that roam the land and sea. 

You may have heard the Oscar buzz surrounding the Irish film The Banshees of Inisherin – filmed in the Aran Islands off the coast of Galway. But what exactly are banshees, and how else does Irish folklore seep into the country’s stories and culture? 

Here are a few of the legendary locals you might meet on your small group tour of Ireland... 

Imagine a haunting wail ringing across a dark, mist-filled forest. 

The howl of the banshee – a female spirit variously depicted as an old hag or a beautiful woman – is said to warn of an impending death in the family. They have ties to ‘keeners’ – women who once mourned at people’s funerals. 

In The Banshees of Inisherin, Colm tells Pádraic he is working on a song of the same title. In keeping with the bleak spirit of the film, Colm says that if banshees were real they might just stand and watch people pass away rather than wail. 

A mythical giant and hunter-warrior, Finn McCool (or Fionn Mac Cumhaill) looms large (literally!) in Irish legends – particularly those of the spectacular Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. 

When Scottish giant Benandonner threatened Ireland, Finn teared up the Antrim coastline to make a path across the Irish Sea, creating the causeway. Unfortunately Benandonner was a much larger giant than Finn anticipated, so he makes a hasty retreat. Finn’s wife then disguises him as a baby to trick Benandonner – who runs back to Scotland terrified at what size the baby’s father must be, destroying the causeway as he goes. 

For a more scientific (but perhaps less fun) explanation of how the Giant’s Causeway was formed, we must look back 60 million years to a volcanic era and the cooling of lava into the extraordinary basalt columns that exist today. Discover them for yourself on our spellbinding tour of the Emerald Isle. 

Particularly experienced tricksters, pookas (or púcas) are shape-shifting goblins who appear at night. Often found taking the form of horses, rabbits or even humans in mountainous and rural areas (keep a look out on those back roads!), pookas are some of the most mischievous spirits you’re likely to encounter in Ireland. Never trust a word a pooka says! 

Did something just bubble under the surface? 

You may have glimpsed the Muckie – a water-based monster similar to the Loch Ness Monster, said to lurk in the Lakes of Killarney in southern Ireland. Naysayers beware! Don’t be too quick to dismiss the Muckie; in 2003 scientists used sonar technology to scan the lakes and recorded a large, unexplained solid object sitting in the water... 

We visit Killarney on our Corners of Southern Ireland tour, which can also be combined with our Emerald Isle adventure. So keep your eyes peeled! 

The quintessential Irish spirit! Leprechauns – a fairy in the form of an old man – must grant you three wishes before they can leave you. But be cautious! Choose your wishes wisely; the leprechaun is renowned for tricking the wish bearer into making poor decisions... 

Are you ready to delve into the magic and mystery of the Emerald Isle? Almost all 2023 departures are Guaranteed to run!