About this book
Kate Corkery gathers folk stories from across County Cork, drawing on recorded folklore, historical sources and local reminiscences. The collection includes tales of the Goddess Cliona, the Hag of Beara and the giant Mac Mahon, alongside the story of St Finbarr banishing Louie, a fiery serpent, from Gougane Barra. Its settings follow Cork’s landscape, from the coastline and river valleys to lakes, hills, caves and hidden underground places.
Fairies, saints, warriors, restless spirits and supernatural beings appear beside stories of hunger, death, wit and deception. Some tales reach back to Celtic myth and the Fenian tradition, while others preserve the voices of more recent storytellers. Together, they reflect the county’s oral culture and the enduring role of storytelling in remembering people, places and local traditions.
