Kings of Ireland in Myth and Legend

Kings of Ireland in Myth and Legend gathers traditional Irish accounts centred on rulers whose identities stand between remembered history, dynastic storytelling and myth. Dáithí Ó hÓgáin treats kingship as part of Ireland’s wider folklore, where royal figures can embody ancestry, sovereignty, conflict and the fate of a people.

The book offers a concise introduction to the legendary image of Irish kings rather than a conventional political history. Its subject sits within the same storytelling tradition as Ireland’s heroes, queens, animals and supernatural lore, showing how royal figures helped preserve ideas about the country’s origins and cultural memory.