Episodes
This episode we've a nice normal fairy story about Elves, and one boy's bloody Tarantino-esque quest to get his ball back (and maybe something else as well? I forget.)For sources and more visit the episode page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-49-Childe-Rowland/   #mythology #folkore #legends #folktales
Published 01/29/24
Published 01/29/24
This episode we're off to Glasgow - the largest city in Scotland, for stories about Saints and Monsters set along the river, by turns in a Dear Green Place and a gritty, deadly urban sprawl. Hear stories involving necromantic powers, cuckolding, fish, school children, dental operations gone wrong and all the other usual suspects.For sources and more visit the episode page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-48-glasgow-gold-green-and-iron/   #mythology #folkore...
Published 12/10/23
This episode we have a tale featuring Lancashire Witches, phenomenal cosmic power, a sort of gap year/nature documentary, an unexpected promotion and a story mash up that almost works if you squint, coming from the pen of Lancashire folklore's most unreliable narrator,  For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-47-the-witch-of-eagles-crag/ #Myths #Legends #Folklore #Witches #Lacanshirefolklore
Published 08/29/23
A fairy tale like story that's meant for children... and may be the most traumatic and violent I've covered yet. Meet the family: an old woman, an old man and a little girl living in a remote valley with their dog Turpie. Awww! Meet the Hobyahs - numerous terrible monsters that live all around the valley. Less awww. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-46-the-hobyahs/#Myths #Legends #Folklore #Folkstories #FairyTales
Published 06/20/23
Branch Three of the Mabinogi(on) featuring marrying mothers, misty magic, market disruption, mice, milquetoast Manawydan and much much more! For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-45-third-branch-of-the-mabinogion-manawydan/ #WelshMythology #Mabinogion #Mabinogi #Folklore #Myth
Published 04/21/23
A collection of stories telling the life and active afterlife of one of Ireland's most notorious and corporeal ghosts, with a rather unusual nickname. A woman, evil in life, who was graciously rewarded with the opportunity to continue being evil after death.  Sometimes being evil is its own reward it seems. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-44-the-life-and-afterlife-of-petticoat-loose/ #Myths #Folklore #Ghosts
Published 01/08/23
A tale of Fionn and the Fianna featuring heroism (maybe), murder (definitely), theft, even more animal transformations and other laddish pursuits. Stick around for the post credit sequence!For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-43-fionn-pt-5-the-lad-of-the-skins/https://talesofbritainandireland.com/#myth #mythology #folklore #Feniancycle #IrishMythology #FionnMacCumhaill
Published 11/20/22
Storms, shipwrecks, salvaging, surprising donkeys and satanic forces all feature in two tales of wrecking on the Cornish Coast. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-42-cornish-wreckers/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #cornwall
Published 09/02/22
The second of two episodes on Irish fairy lore with three more tales of the Aos Sí. Featuring a new trendy get rich quick scheme (robbery), absolutely banging tunes and highly restrictive music licencing laws, and what's sure to be a heroic rescue! And I even include a Leprechaun (kind of)! For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-41-irish-fairylore-2-fairymore/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends #celticlegends
Published 06/27/22
The first of two episodes on Irish fairy lore - featuring three tales of the Aos Sí and there's not a pair of gossamer wings in sight. Discover the connection between a fairy rath and the fairies wrath, meet a dead donkey who doesn't drop anything, and take a good look at a fairy baby. While you still can. For musical credits, sources and more visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends
Published 05/24/22
This episode features a number of accounts of encounters with the fearsome Scottish water-horse known alternately as the Each-Uisge and the Kelpie. The tales involve a kindly magical old woman, a not so kindly magical old woman, sticky situations, lust, and a lorra lorra lochs. For musical credits, sources and more Kelpie information visit the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-39-kelpies-and-the-each-uisge/ #myth #mythology #folklore #legends
Published 05/04/22
This episode is the second from the collection of Medieval chronicler of oddities, miscellanea, and forteana - Walter Map. Featuring two weddings, a suspicious contract, dust, a cute little goat man, the wild hunt (but not really) and a dog that just won't quit. One of the earliest of the many stories that has been classified as being of the "The Wild Hunt". Musical credits and sources on the episode page: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-38-king-herla-the-wild-hunt/ #myth...
Published 04/07/22
This episode we've a tale from the Isle of Man featuring a folkloric Kaiju, a super-powered Saint, unusual ordinance, a brave little tailor(but not that brave little tailor), a deal with god, and more nautical terms than you can shake a main brace at. For pictures, links and musical credits please see the website page at https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-37-the-buggane-of-st-trinians/
Published 03/16/22
This episode we've got a tale that draws strongly form the theme of Folk-horror, the strange world of the Lincolnshire Carrs (marshlands), a fairly unnecessary second person framing narrative and a lesson about the real power of a firm handshake. Sources and musical credits can be found on the Episode Page on the website: https://talesofbritainandireland.com/episode-36-the-dead-hand
Published 02/09/22
This episode we have a delightful Fairy Tale. With fairies, castles, witches, princesses and princes, step mothers and ugly step sisters (alignments to be revealed), lots of things done in threes, and body horror that's positively Cronenbergesque. Musical credits, sources and more at: https://talesofthebritishisles.com/episode-35-kate-crackernuts/
Published 01/20/22
More tales from Manchester. Three stories with an emphasis on the post-mortem, with a light dusting of Boggarts and faeries to keep things interesting. Intro and incidental music by https://soundcloud.com/alice-nicholls-music Outro and incidental music by Mitch Keely and Josh Newman: (https://www.facebook.com/keelyandnewman) Other music from:- Monplaisir: This tuning is so...
Published 08/23/21
Come with me to Cottonopolis where we’ve got two stories and an introduction. There’ll be more ill-advised ways to win a woman (see the last episode), and lots of mentions of a table that’s far bigger than I’d assumed. . Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Other music from Daniel Birch: Roaming the streets at night, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Daniel_Birch/MUSIC_FOR_TV_FILM__GAMES_VOL3/Roaming_The_Streets_At_Night Lionell Schmitt: Fairy Tale of...
Published 05/27/21
Walter Map’s charming little tale of a Princess, ambition, obsession, one of the most taboo acts known to humanity, an unlikely weapon from an unlikely source and, of course, shoes. Let me take you to Constantinople…. Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Other music from:- Lionel Schmitt: The beast, https://soundcloud.com/lionel-schmitt/the-beast Castle of Darkness, https://soundcloud.com/lionel-schmitt/winter-land Castle of Darkness Horror-music – Tales from...
Published 04/05/21
A Knight! A Dark and Stormy night! A Castle! A quest! A hot headed wizard! A damsel! Northumberland! What more could you possible want? Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Other music from: Lionel Schmitt: Castle of Darkness, https://soundcloud.com/lionel-schmitt/winter-land Castle of Darkness Conqueror of the Kingdom, https://soundcloud.com/lionel-schmitt/conqueror-of-the-kingdoms Horror-music – Tales from...
Published 01/27/21
A short bonus episode about the lovable little Trows and their delightfully happy Christmas adventures! Proceed with caution. Intro music by @alice-nicholls-music
Published 12/24/20
This time we’ve got the conclusion to the Second Branch of the Mabinogion. There’s talking Heads, the non-talking dead, talking birds, and I bitterly regret recording the whole episode without saying “A little bird told me”. It’s the longest episode yet and hopefully it’s worth it. Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Other music from Sláinte: The butterfly. Kid on the...
Published 10/31/20
A tale taken from the premier text of Welsh mythology, with part one of a story of London, giants, magic, marriage, international diplomacy and the age old question of: Families. Who'd have them? Intro and incidental music by @alice-nicholls-music. Other music from Sláinte: Lark in the morning/The Atholl highlanders, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Slinte/Cup_of_Tea/slainte_-_09_-_lark_in_the_morning_the_atholl_highlanders Mairi’s...
Published 08/22/20
This episode join us in York, for the story of Brother Jucundus... a liminal tale of monks, wild partying and coincidences. Into and incidental music by https://soundcloud.com/alice-nicholls-music Other incidental music from: Damiano Baldoni: Misery, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Damiano_Baldoni/Lost_Dinasty/Misery Doctor Turtle: His Last Share of the Stars, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Doctor_Turtle/The_Double-Down_Two-Step/his_last_share_of_the_stars_zeroed Rotisserie...
Published 06/27/20
This episode we've got three short stories of Stone circles. There's poor wedding planning, there's a beautiful view ruined, and there's a remote island community in midsummer, with cuckoos. Be afraid, be petrified! Into and incidental music by https://soundcloud.com/alice-nicholls-music Other incidental music from: Sláinte: Mairi's Wedding, https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Slinte/Cup_of_Tea/slainte_-_02_-_mairis_wedding Doctor Turtle: The ants built a city on his...
Published 05/17/20