Irish Animal Folk Tales for Children

Irish Animal Folk Tales for Children gathers traditional stories in which animals take central roles, from clever birds and beloved dogs to cats with darker transformations. The collection asks how the tiny wren became King of the Birds, and recounts the fate of giant Finn McCool’s favourite dogs, who were changed into mountains.

Alongside these tales are ghostly incidents, strange characters and stories where the boundary between animal, human and monstrous becomes uncertain. One unsettling account follows a friendly cat turned into a cruel fiend plotting to destroy mankind. Doreen McBride, an award-winning professional storyteller with a background in biology, retells these Irish traditions for younger listeners and readers, preserving their eerie humour and vivid sense of wonder.