Wild Waves and Wishing Wells

Wild Waves and Wishing Wells gathers 17 Irish folk tales shaped by water: the sea, wells, lakes, rivers and even a puddle. Órla Mc Govern retells stories involving Fionn and the Salmon, a boy who becomes a lake, a king and a mermaid, a fairy ship made of roses, and a giant’s well.

The collection reflects the fluid nature of oral tradition. Some tales come from stories Mc Govern heard as a child, while others combine fragments she encountered with imaginative additions inspired by distinctive places. Notes at the end provide further facts and explanations, while the introduction considers how stories change when they are spoken, remembered and passed on.