Hello again from Ireland! In this month's issue we remember the Irish Patriot and social activist Michael Davitt, who had such a long-lasting influence on the lives of the people of Ireland. From the world of Irish mythology we learn about Manannán Mac Lir and his cloak of invisibility.
'The Fairies' Revenge' is another mystic tale of old Ireland from Lady Wilde, while we also start off a series of articles about popular hikes and walks in Ireland. This time we visit Howth in Dublin and the fantastic (and free) cliff-walks. Enjoy!
If you have an article or story you would like to share then please do send it to us.
Until next time,
Michael
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NEWS FROM IRELAND
PROPERTY PRICES IN IRELAND ARE OUT OF CONTROL
Recent data from the Central Statistics Office of Ireland has incredibly revealed that residential property prices continue to climb unabated and increased by an unbelievable 8.2% in the 12 months to May 2024.
That is an 8.2% increase on top of the huge increases of recent years.
The Policies of several Governments over the last decade have abjectly failed to address the housing issue in the country, a point reinforced by the current administration's own 'Housing Commission' report that found that there have been repeated and systemic failures by risk-averse legislators resulting in the appalling situation now facing millions of Irish citizens.
Yes, millions of Irish citizens are affected by this disaster, the big winners of which are the institutional property investors (ie, usually foreign and already wealthy).
Despite this calamity the Irish electorate rewarded the parties of government (Fiánna Fail and Fine Gael) with relatively good results in the recent local and European elections. Clearly the vast majority of Irish citizens who vote (ie, usually older and already owning a property), are not at all unhappy with the current situation.
DON'T MAKE UNNECERSSARY JOURNEYS
AND DON'T SWIM IN THE SEA!!!! click for external video
It is a sign of the times that Storm 'Desmond' that hit Ireland in 2015 is probably most remembered now for a sensational viral news report than it is for the damage caused.
It is hard to imagine that Teresa Mannion who was conducting a TV report from a rain-battered Galway, ever thought that she would become an internet sensation and yet that is what occurred in 2015 when her report was picked up by TV stations around the world and became a hugely copied and parodied piece.
click for external video
That seemed to be that until the savvy promoters of the 2024 movie 'Twisters' released their own version of Teresa's famous words but lip-synced by stars of the movie, including Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos.
Manannán Mac Lir - pronounced: 'man-an-awn mack leer'
Tuatha Dé Danann - pronounced: 'two-hah day dan-inn'
Manannán Mac Lir was the greatest sea-god of Irish Mythology. His name means 'son of the sea' and he is regarded as the Overlord of the mighty Tuatha Dé Danann.
His famous boat was named Scuabtuinne meaning 'the wave sweeper', and was a fantastic chariot drawn by the powerful horse 'Enbarr of the Flowing Mane', who could travel easily both on sea and land. He used this chariot to transport beings from the mortal world to the Otherworld, of which he was Guardian.
Such was the power of the chariot that it obeyed the thoughts of the person aboard and did not require sails or oars. The boat could even grow to accommodate any number of passengers.
Manannán was associated with the Isle of Man, the small island in the Irish sea, and takes his first name from that place. He possessed the sword named 'Fragarach', meaning 'the Answerer' and the incredible 'Féth Fíada', the cloak of invisibility that he would use to protect the Isle of Man from being seen. Manannán Mac Lir was thus very formidable.
Manannán was married to the fairy woman Fand, whose incredible beauty was known throughout the world and who had started life as a sea-bird. The mighty Irish warrior Cuchulainn took Fand for his own but Manannán retrieved her by placing his cloak between Fand and Cuchulainn, thus magically erasing their memory of each other.
This was an incredibly merciful act! Fand returned to her husband and together they traveled through Ireland. Cuchulainn returned to his wife Eimear, the pair also drinking of the cup of forgetfulness, provided by the Druids.
One of the most famous stories associated with Manannán is that of the 'Voyage of Bran Mac Febal'.
The High King Bran, the son of Febal, who left Ireland behind to explore the Islands of the Otherworld had an original mind and great drive.
One day, while out walking near Tara, King Bran heard beautiful music, but he could not figure out where it was coming from. No matter which way he turned, it always seemed to be coming from just behind him. Lulled by the lovely sound, he fell asleep and dreamed of a beautiful woman, holding a sliver branch and singing to him of a perfect place, an Island of Women, where there was no death, or war or conflict, and where she was Queen.
When he woke, he found the silver branch in his hand, and brought it with him to Tara. That evening, at the feast, the fairy woman appeared again, this time in front of the whole company. She retrieved her silver branch, and asked Bran to sail across the sea to find her.
Bran set out at once, accompanied by his three foster-brothers, who brought nine men each with them. When their ship was underway, Bran met Manannán Mac Lir, riding on his white horse, on his way to Ireland. Manannán spoke to Bran of another way of perceiving, and told him that the waves Bran saw were grassy plains to Manannán's eyes, with chariots racing to and fro over them. Along with this other way of seeing, Manannán gave Bran back the silver branch, as a token of his new perception.
Bran and his men came first to the Island of Joy, where the people all laughed without speaking. One of Bran's men went to investigate, but lost his wits as soon as he set foot on the island, succumbing to mindless laughter with all the others. After this experience, they were wary when they reached the Island of Women, but the Queen threw a magic ball of yarn to Bran, which stuck to his hand when he caught it, forcing them to land.
Bran and his men lived in bliss and ease on the Island of Women for an unknown time, but one man, Neachtain, was homesick, and begged to go back to Ireland. Eventually, Bran agreed. The Queen gave him directions back to Ireland, and gave him the magic ball of yarn so he could retrieve his man from the Island of Joy.
But when at last Bran and his men came back to Ireland, they found the coastline changed, forests gone, and all the people small and grey. Calling to shore, they found that no one knew who they were, save one very old storyteller, who remembered an ancient king called Bran. Neachtain, overcome by homesickness, leapt from the ship to the shore, but turned to dust as soon as he landed. Realizing they could never go home, Bran wrote down an account of his adventures on stone tablets and tossed them to the people on the shore, and then he turned his ship around and sailed back to the islands of the Otherworld.
Bran may have yet regretted sailing for the Island of Women, as well as the new 'silver branch' perception that Manannán Mac Lir had given him.
The legends of Manannán Mac Lir have thus survied the centuries. He is recorded in the ancient 15th century manuscript 'The Book of Fermoy' thus:
'He was a Pagan, a lawgiver among the Tuatha Dé Danann, and a Necromancer possessed of power to envelope himself and others in a mist, so that they could not be seen by their enemies.'
Manannán Mac Lir - the mighty Sea-God of Ancient Ireland!
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MICHAEL DAVITT: HERO OF THE IRISH LAND WAR
In the annals of Irish history there are many huge figures that dominate the historical landscape. Stories of revolution and political intrigue are often romantized and survive the passage of time.
And while tales of Brian Boru, Grainne O'Malley, Wolfe Tone, Daniel O'Connell, Padraig Pearse, Countess Markievicz and Michael Collins are well known to all students of Irish history, it is often the case that it is the lesser-known characters of a historical novel that have the greatest long-term effect on a country.
Once such person was Michael Davitt who played a central role in the Irish Land War, a crucial movement in the late nineteenth century that sought to radically reform land ownership and improve the lives of tenant farmers in Ireland.
Born in 1846 in Straide, County Mayo, Davitt's early life was marked by severe hardship; his family was evicted during the Great Famine, a traumatic event that left a lasting impact on him and fueled his lifelong commitment to social justice and Irish nationalism.
In his early twenties, Davitt joined the Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), a revolutionary organization dedicated to Irish independence. His involvement in a failed arms raid led to his arrest and a harsh prison sentence of seven years. Following his release in 1877, Davitt's focus shifted from armed rebellion to peaceful activism, recognizing that sustainable change could be achieved through mass mobilization and legislative reform rather than violence. He pioneered the 'New Departure' strategy of cooperation between the physical force and constitutional wings of Irish nationalism on the issue of land reform.
The Irish Land War, which began in 1879, was a mass agrarian movement against the exploitative landlord-tenant system that kept Irish farmers in a cycle of poverty and insecurity. Davitt co-founded the Irish National Land League with Charles Stewart Parnell, aiming to dismantle landlordism and secure the 'Three Fs': fair rent, free sale, and fixity of tenure. These demands sought to protect tenant farmers from arbitrary rent increases and evictions, and to ensure their economic stability and dignity.
Davitt's strategy during the Land War involved organizing tenant farmers, encouraging them to resist unjust evictions and to demand fair rents. He emphasized non-violent protest and the use of boycotts - a term that originated during this period when Captain Charles Boycott, an English land agent in County Mayo, was ostracized by the local community. The League also provided legal assistance to tenants and supported families who had been evicted, fostering a strong sense of solidarity and collective action among the rural population.
The Land War saw widespread civil disobedience, with tenant farmers refusing to pay excessive rents and resisting eviction. The movement's pressure led to significant legislative changes, most notably the Land Act of 1881, which introduced the principle of judicial rent and established the Irish Land Commission to fix fair rents. Although not fully meeting the League's demands, the Act was a significant step toward dismantling the power of landlords and empowering tenants.
Michael Davitt's contributions extended beyond the Land War. He was a tireless advocate for broader social reforms, including labor rights and universal suffrage. His opposition to imperialism and his support for oppressed peoples worldwide demonstrated his deep commitment to justice and equality. Davitt also served as a Member of Parliament for the Irish Parliamentary Party, where he continued to advocate for agrarian and social reforms.
Davitt's later years were dedicated to writing and lecturing, through which he chronicled the struggles and achievements of the Irish peasantry. His book, 'The Fall of Feudalism in Ireland', provides a comprehensive account of the Land War and the subsequent reforms that transformed Irish society.
Michael Davitt's legacy is enduring. He is remembered as a champion of the oppressed, a leader who chose peaceful activism over violence, and a visionary who played a pivotal role in transforming Ireland's agrarian landscape. His life's work significantly contributed to Ireland's journey toward self-determination and social justice, cementing his place as a key figure in Irish history.
The Land War and the Land Acts that Davitt achieved had a profound effect on the lives of millions of Irish people and paved the way for the further nationalist gains in Ireland.
ON YOUR HIKE! THE HOWTH CLIFFS WALK
There is no need to say any more about the benefits of hiking, hill-walking, rambling, mountain climbing and just bog-standard moving. The fact is that the more you move the better you feel and the longer you are likely to last.
So with that in mind this series of articles will be detailing some east and not-so easy hikes in Ireland, starting with this one in Howth that is accessible via public transport, and others that you may need a car to get to.
So let us begin in Howth which is located at the end of a spur off the widely used DART rail service. You can get to Howth in under an hour from O'Connell Street via the DART and enjoy a cracking walk and visit to this popular fishing town which is located on a peninsula jutting out of the northern part of the city. It is a great little town with several popular walks, great sea-food and restaurants and, like pretty much all of Ireland, is transformed when the sun shines.
When you exit the DART station at Howth there is a small tourist office a short distance across the road where you should be able to get a copy of the local walking maps. If it is closed then there are usually notice-boards with the maps that you can photo.
The most popular walk brings you up to the cliffs (at the far end of the town, away from the DART station) and up towards some pretty spectacular views. If you are lucky enough to have the sun-shining (it really is worth keeping a close eye on weather forecasts when planning your hike), then you may yet feel that you are on a Mediterranean island, rather than the Atlantic-battered rock that is Ireland.
There are a number of different routes and circuits you can take, but by far the most popular is the main cliff walk (red route) that offers fantastic views and will allow you to loop back along the upper route (that runs parallel to the cliff walk below), and also leads you to the Baily Lighthouse at the top of the loop (before heading back towards the town).
Alternatively you can just retrace your steps along the lower cliff walk, back the way you came. Fish and Chips await!
A visit to Howth is a super an inexpensive day out when you are visiting Dublin. It is well worth the effort and gets you out of the city centre for a few hours. Make sure you learn how to use the 'LEAP' card(external video) when using Dublin public transport and you are all set up.
The fairies have a great objection to the fairy raths, where they meet at night, being built upon by mortal man. A farmer called Johnstone, having plenty of money, bought some land, and chose a beautiful green spot to build a house on, the very spot the fairies loved best.
The neighbours warned him that it was a fairy rath; but he laughed and never minded (for he was from the north), and looked at such things as mere old-wives' tales. So he built the house and made it beautiful to live in; and no people in the country were so well off as the Johnstones, so that the people said the farmer must have found a pot of gold in the fairy rath.
But the fairies were all the time plotting how they could punish the farmer for taking away their dancing ground, and for cutting down the hawthorn bush where they held their revels when the moon was full. And one day when the cows were milking, a little old woman in a blue cloak came to Mrs. Johnstone and asked her for a porringer of milk.
'Go away' said the mistress of the house,
'you shall have no milk from me. I'll have no tramps coming about my place'
And she told the farm servants to chase her away.
Some time after, the best and finest of the cows sickened and gave no milk, and lost her horns and teeth and finally died.
Then one day as Mrs. Johnstone was sitting spinning flax in the parlour, the same little woman in the blue cloak suddenly stood before her.
'Your maids are baking cakes in the kitchen' she said; 'give me some off the griddle to carry away with me.'
'Go out of this' cried the farmer's wife, angrily; 'you are a wicked old wretch, and have poisoned my best cow.' And she bade the farm servants drive her off with sticks.
Now the Johnstones had one only child; a beautiful bright boy, as strong as a young colt, and as full of life and merriment. But soon after this he began to grow queer and strange, and was disturbed in his sleep; for he said the fairies came round him at night and pinched and beat him, and some sat on his chest and he could neither breathe nor move. And they told him they would never leave him in peace unless he promised to give them a supper every night of a griddle cake and a porringer of milk. So to soothe the child the mother had these things laid every night on a table beside his bed, and in the morning they were gone.
But still the child pined away, and his eyes got a strange, wild look, as if he saw nothing near or around him, only something far, far away that troubled his spirit. And when they asked him what ailed him, he said the fairies carried him away to the hills every night, where he danced and danced with them till the morning, when they brought him hack and laid him again in his bed.
At last the farmer and his wife were at their wits' end from grief and despair, for the child was pining away before their eyes, and they could do nothing for him to help him. One night he cried out in great agony:
'Mother! mother! send for the priest to take away the fairies, for they are killing me; they are here on my chest, crushing me to death' and his eyes were wild with terror.
Now the farmer and his wife believed in no fairies, and in no priest, but to soothe the child they did as be asked and sent for the priest, who prayed over him and sprinkled him with holy water.
The poor little fellow seemed calmer as the priest prayed, and he said the fairies were leaving him and going away, and then he sank into a quiet sleep. But when be woke in the morning he told his parents that he had a beautiful dream and was walking in a lovely garden with the angels; and be knew it was heaven, and that he would be there before night, for the angels told him they would come for him.
Then they watched by the sick child all through the night, for they saw the fever was still on him, but hoped a change would come before morning; for he now slept quite calmly with a smile on his lips.
But just as the clock struck midnight he awoke and sat up, and when his mother put her arms round him weeping, be whispered to her—
'The angels are here, mother' and then he sank back, and so died.
Now after this calamity the farmer never held up his head. He ceased to mind his farm, and the crops went to ruin and the cattle died, and finally before a year and a day were over he was laid in the grave by the side of his little son; and the land passed into other hands, and as no one would live in the house it was pulled down. No one, either, would plant on the rath; so the grass grew again all over it, green and beautiful, and the fairies danced there once more in the moonlight as they used to do in the old time, free and happy; and thus the evil spell was broken for evermore.
But the people would have nothing to do with the childless mother, so she went away back to her own people, a brokenhearted, miserable woman—a warning to all who would arouse the vengeance of the fairies by interfering with their ancient rights and possessions and privileges.
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