Argyll Folk Tales

About this book

Argyll Folk Tales brings together stories from the mainland and islands of Argyll, including Mull, Iona and Islay. Bob Pegg’s selection ranges from accounts involving wolves, wizards, revenants, selkies and mermaids to tales of fairies, forsaken harpers and demonic cats, reflecting the region’s varied oral traditions.

The collection places these narratives against Argyll’s long history, linking them with the Irish settlers who established Dál Riata and the stories of Finn MacCool. Traditions connected with the Lords of the Isles and rival clans also appear. The tales are arranged under thematic headings, each accompanied by brief historical context that helps situate the stories within Argyll’s landscape, communities and changing past.