Irish Mythology Podcast

By Marcas O hUiscínSociety & Culture

Irish Mythology Podcast episodes

February 18, 2021 The Wooing of Étain (Part 2): How Aengus Took Newgrange
Aengus believes he is the son of Midir, his foster father, but gets a rude awakening when a jealous Fir Bolg youth tells him otherwise. On finding out his father is actually The Dagda, the King in the Sidhe, he sets out to meet him and claim a Sidhe of his own. There's one slight problem though; Someone already occupies the mound The Dagda had in mind for his son. That someone is the husband of Aengus's mother, the one The Dagda had already duped when he had an affair with Boann.
A cautionary tale on why you should read the fine print of any contract.
credits
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
55 min
February 01, 2021 Brigid - Goddess, Druid, and Saint of Imbolc
Brigid returns from tending her flock to see women huddled around the hearth with only a bit of bread between them. A bit of divine magic might be just what the doctor ordered.
We talk about the goddess Brigid, Saint Brigid, how they are connected and why she is the patron of the festival of Imbolc, also known as St. Brigid's Day or Lá Fheile Bride.
credits
Written, presented and produced by Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín. Story: Stéphanie Ní Thiarnaigh
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
Except Music for a film by EvanJones4 Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence on freesound.org
54 min
January 07, 2021The Wooing of Étain (Part 1): The Nativity of the Young Son
The Dagda has got his groove back, but though his power is restored, he longs for Boann, goddess and wife of his steward, Elcmar. He makes use of his control of the Sun and time to not only make a tryst possible, but to hide the conception and birth of a son.
Despite the title, Étain doesn’t appear in today’s story as she isn’t introduced until later in the Saga.

We ask:
What was The Dagda’s role in myth and in the old pagan religion?

Why is this story associated with the Winter Solstice?

Does this story hint at the remnant of a pre-Celtic religious tradition?

What was the significance of Newgrange for ancient astronomers?

Could the Egyptian Book of the Dead help us interpret the importance of the Solstice at Newgrange for the dead?
credits
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
45 min
November 24, 2020 The Dagda Strikes Back
The Dagda has had enough of Bres's demands of his labour and Cridenbel's demands of his hospitality. Now, with the help of a magical child and a satirist, The Dagda Strikes Back.
A cautionary tale outlining why you should always give your guests something decent with their cuppa.
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org (except Door - Stone - Large - by DWO Boyle attribution licence at freesound)

41 min
October 30, 2020 Samhain Special: Irish Mythology and Customs and the Origins of Halloween
Marcas and Stephie talk about the various tales from Irish Mythology that reference Samhain and the ghastly cast of ghoulish entities associated with them. We also talk folklore, customs, games, robbing pallets for the bonfire and dressing up in bin bags to go out and scare your neighbours.
No main story this week but we do have one on our patreon, info below.
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
50 min
October 22, 2020Dian Cecht and Nuada's Silver Arm
Dian Cecht receives Ogma’s message and sets out to find a way of fighting back against Bres’s tyranny. He recruits the blacksmith Gobniu and the silversmith Credne to help him create a new arm for the former High Chief of the Gods, Nuada.
What was Dian Cecht's role in myth and in the old pagan religion?

What is Dian Cecht’s relationship to Brehon Law?

What makes Dian Cecht a symbol of the medical profession?

Why were Blacksmiths considered to have supernatural powers?

How do we resolve contradictions in medieval mythological texts?
credits
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
37 min
September 22, 2020 The Passion of the Ogma
Ogma suffers under the reign of Bres, but from this suffering comes a great revelation. We talk about Ogma, ogham script, attitudes to work in myth, and the Irish language.
We ask:
What was Ogma's role in myth and in the old pagan religion?
What is Ogma's relationship to other deities?
What was the Ogham system of writing?
What attitudes to work in medieval Ireland are represented in this story?
Are metaphors about the origins of language encoded in tales from mythology?
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
All sounds cc licence from freesound.org
Full show notes available at irishmythologypodcast.ie
48 min
July 30, 2020 The Druid that Killed John the Baptist
Have you heard about the Druid, Mog Ruith and his most famous deed?
I thought not. It’s not the sort of tale you would hear from a teacher or a priest.
In this episode we hear about the druid Mog Ruith and his daughter Tlachtga travelling from County Kerry to the Middle East to study the magic of Simon Magus, and how on the way, Mog Ruith becomes the executioner of John the Baptist. We ask:

Who was Mog Ruith?
Why did he and his daughter, Tlachtga travel to the Middle East?
Does this story have a hidden meaning that points to the early Irish Church’s struggles with both imported heresy and native paganism?
Why aren’t Mog Ruith and Tlachtga as well known as some other Irish Mythological figures?
Why did Mog Ruith behead John the Baptist?
Why were he and Tlachtga associated with Simon Magus?
We also talk about heresy, Roman influences in Iron Age Ireland, the oared wheel, and Kerry UFO sightings .
credits
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode
Air traffic control audio courtesy of www.liveatc.net
Full show notes on http://irishmythologypodcast.ie
1 hr 2 min
July 09, 2020 Dawning of the Dé (Part 3): Fate of the Fir Bolg
The Culmination of a saga. A bloody battle that will decide the future of Ireland. Can the mighty Fir Bolg repel the almighty power of the gods?
We talk about Nuada, Sreng, war gods and Cong, Co. Mayo.
Written, presented and produced by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Celltic Warrior (Theme) by Damiano Baldoni (Attribution 4 Licence)
Full Credits in show note at: http://irishmythologypodcast.ie
46 min
May 21, 2020 Dawning of the Dé (Part 2): Maids of Mayhem
When Chief Eochaid Mac Eirc of the Fir Bolg ignores Sreng's advice to compromise with the Tuath Dé, Chief Nuada calls on three powerful goddesses with a passion for pandemonium to give them some supernatural encouragement.
Meet the Morrigan in her threefold form - Badbh, Macha, and Nemhain.
Find out about her role in Irish Mythology and her relationship to other female divinities in other mythologies.
Full show notes at http://irishmythologypodcast.ie
Presented by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.
Written and produced by by Marcas Ó hUiscín. Support our work: https://www.patreon.com/irishmythologypodcast
Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode)
All sounds cc or attribution licence.
Sounds on attribution licence from freesound.org -
Miguetelo SINISTER ATMOSPHERE
Joedeshon ADULTS GATHERING FOR A MEETING
Juan FG - Never without my denture
Melisapons - Wooshes
Liezen3 - Choir Women Men and Mixed
Setuniman - Cinematic Moments + cinematic intros
Luis_audp - Celtic Tin Whistle in D
Beast_Toil - Slow Mellow Suspense (They're Going to Get You!)
Piano Farm - Cows Attacking Red Tail Hawk
Yap_Audio_Production - Medieval Combat
Innominatus - Booms of Innominatus
GregorQuendel - Cinematic Percussion Trailer + Cinematic Chanting / Throat Singing Percussion Trailer
Jobro - Cinematic stings
Vedas - frantic searching
Robinhood76 - CROWD & MASSIVE EVENTS sound shots
(Licence https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/)
42 min