Candlelit Tales Irish Mythology Podcast

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. And another wonderful collaboration episode. In these sporadic episodes, we’re fortunate enough to collaborate with a few very special musicians. We’re a fan of their work and they also happen to be a fan of ours. We have always been grateful for any collaborations we have created, performed and worked on with other artists. And since music has always b...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we look back on and discuss the High King series and some of our sources and inspiration for how we approached telling Cormac Mac Airt's story. We recorded this episode over Zoom, so if you listen to this on a podcast player, you can head to YouTube to watch the video version. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering f...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode concludes our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. In this story, Cormac journeys to the Otherworld to confront the entity that took his family away from him, and encounters strange sights and hard-won wisdom. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some list...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. This episode brings us to the beginning of the end for Cormac. As the king aged, and believed that his greatest adventures were behind him, Bealtaine brought with it an invitation for the most extraordinary journey of his life. Ple...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. This episode tells the second part of last week’s story ‘Fire and Fury’ where we were introduced to some of Cormac’s struggles as a High King who was not a fighting man. Insulted by the Ulster men, he had conceded the Kingship rath...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. As this episode is released on the first of May, also called Bealtaine, we decided to take a break from our current series on Cormac Mac Airt, and talk you through some of what we’ve learned over the years of telling stories about this fire festival. We recorded a video to go along with this talk, and you can find that over on our YouTube channel. We’d...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. This episode tells the story of Cormac’s struggles. Now that he had gained the kingship, he found he had to hold it, and he had promised that he would hold it with wisdom and justice, rather than violence. This proved a difficult t...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. This episode tells the story of Cormac’s meeting with his beloved Eithne, and the tragic tale of what her feckless relatives did to her beloved foster father. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some list...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. In this episode, young Cormac begins to come into his power at Tara, using his greatest kingly gift of judgement to prove his worth. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take care of...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This episode continues our new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. We meet Cormac’s mother, Achtan the druid’s daughter, and discover the origins of the child who would one day be the High King of Ireland. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please take c...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are kicking off a new series on the greatest High King in mythological, pseudo-historical memory: Cormac Mac Airt. We meet Cormac’s mother, Achtan the druid’s daughter, and discover the origins of the child who would one day be High King of Ireland. Please note the content of these stories may be triggering for some listeners, please...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales Podcast. As Spring is in full swing, and Aron and Sorcha are off gallivanting across the Pond (see our website for show dates if you’re in the New York/Vermont area at the time this podcast goes out!) we present to you collaboration with one of our favourite humans. This is the story of the Intoxication of the Ulstermen, and it’s the story that sprung to mind wh...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales Podcast. As Spring is in full swing, and Aron and Sorcha are still off gallivanting across the Pond and sharing stories with the Irish diaspora in Canada for the first time, we decided to post a special St. Patrick's Day episode today. It is a story that links in the old faith to the conversion of the new, and has one of the greatest heroes of the Fianna telling...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales Podcast. As Spring is in full swing, and Aron and Sorcha are off gallivanting across the Pond (see our website for show dates if you’re in the New York/Vermont area at the time this podcast goes out!) we present to you a terrible love story that ends terribly for everyone involved. This is the story of a woman who hid her heart so well that she hid it from herse...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this series, we looked back at an old story, or set of stories, and told it in a new way, from a lot of different perspectives. We called this the Táin Mosaic, as the shattered fragments of this story can be put back together in a multiplicity of ways, and we decided to shine a light on some of the lesser-known characters within the story. Please not...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This is the final episode of our Táin Mosaic series. In this series, we looked back at an old story, or set of stories, and told it in a new way, from a lot of different perspectives. We called this the Táin Mosaic, as the shattered fragments of this story can be put back together in a multiplicity of ways, and we decided to shine a light on some of the...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are going right back to before the beginning, where the seeds of this conflict were planted before any of the participants were even born. This is also, ultimately, a conflict between two individuals. If you've missed the earlier episodes, go back to catch up from the start. This is the conclusion of a brand new series. In this serie...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are taking the perspective of Conchubar Mac Nessa’s youngest son, Follman. Follman’s story is a particularly tragic one, as he has experienced huge loss in his young life, and does not survive the War. If you've missed the earlier episodes, go back to catch up from the start. This is part of a brand new series. In this series, we are...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. This week, we are taking a break from our Táin Mosaic series to check in with the Goddess, and Saint, Brigid. The first day of February, also known as Imbolg, has always been associated with Brigid, and commemorated in folk practice. Cloaks are hung out the evening before to catch some of her healing magic, and crosses are woven from reeds, as the first...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are hearing from Medbh and Aillil’s daughter, Finnibhear, whose hand in marriage was offered to any warrior who would take on Cuchulainn in single combat. If you've missed the earlier episodes, go back to catch up from the start. This is part of a brand new series. In this series, we are looking back at an old story, or set of storie...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are spending some more time with a character we last met in The Muster: Fraech. Fraech is the kind of character who would have been one of the greatest warriors of Irish mythology if he hadn’t happened to meet Cuhculainn in this story. If you've missed the earlier episodes, go back to catch up from the start. This is part of a brand...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we come to the initial part of the war for the Brown Bull, and a campaign of guerilla warfare carried out by Cuchulainn. If you've missed the earlier episodes, go back to catch up from the start. This is part of a brand new series. In this series, we are looking back at an old story, or set of stories and telling it in a new way, from a...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. In this episode, we are catching up with Cuchulainn’s chariot driver Leag, as he has a few frustrated thoughts ahead of Meadbh’s army arriving in Ulster for the raid on the Brown Bull of Cooley. If you've missed the first three episodes, go back to Episode 230 to catch up from the start. In this series, we are looking back at an old story, or set of sto...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. And to the third part in our brand new series. If you’ve missed the start at episode 230, go back and have a listen to catch up with Fergus. In this episode, we shine a light on a few of the lesser-known figures that are called upon to gather together before the raid on Cooley, for the mythical Brown Bull. In this series, we are looking back at an old s...

Welcome back to the Candlelit Tales podcast. And to a brand new series. In this series, we are looking back at an old story, or set of stories, and telling it in a new way, from a lot of different perspectives. We are calling this the Táin Mosaic, as the shattered fragments of this story can be put back together in a multiplicity of ways, and we decided to shine a light on some of the lesser-known...