Irish

Discover the characters, places, events and magic of Irish folklore.

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Contributors

Here we will name and reference any content contributors to these articles assuming they wish to be known. To be added here you must contribute content rather its pointing us to some published work, editing our sometimes horrible spelling and grammar or helping us organize the sections. People here did work to make this happen.

All names are listed in alphabetical order as the contributor wanted it to be. For a list of sources, e.g. those people and organizations who did the real work in research, archaeology, etc. see the Sources article.

James McGhee

CEO and founder of Heathen and the primary author and administrator at the time of creation.

Maya McGhee

Intern with Heathen and the initial researcher at the time of creation.

How?

The target era and region have precious little direct documentation or even reliable indirect references so how will we go about developing a codex for this era?

There are a number of techniques that scholars and researchers use to reconstruct ancient culture and mythology when direct records are not available. These techniques can help scholars to gain a better understanding of the beliefs, practices, and customs of ancient cultures, even when there are few or no written records available. We can then use this flawed but better than nothing output to develop a level of understanding for the folklore as it applies to us as storytellers.

Some of the techniques that are commonly used for reconstructing ancient culture and mythology include:

1. Archaeology: Archaeologists study the material remains of ancient cultures, such as artifacts, structures, and artifacts, to learn more about their beliefs, practices, and customs.

2. Linguistic analysis: Scholars who study ancient languages can use linguistic analysis to reconstruct the beliefs and practices of ancient cultures.

3. Comparative mythology: By comparing the mythology of different cultures, scholars can identify patterns and similarities that may shed light on the beliefs and practices of ancient cultures. This is particularly interesting for the target era and location as Ireland was the last/west most extent of the Proto-Celtic cultures that in this era spanned the width of Europe. This gives us a wide range of related cultures some of which are better known historically and or archaeologically than others. Some even have direct recorded history via dealings with Roman and Greek over the ages.

4. Folklore and oral tradition: In many cultures, ancient beliefs and practices have been passed down through folklore and oral tradition. By studying these traditions, scholars can gain insight into the beliefs and practices of ancient cultures. This is a valuable but dangerous option for Irish folklore as Irish as a pre-Christian culture has been under multiple direct and deliberate attempts to erode its native culture for the better part of 1600 years. Consequently this means most of what we think of as "Irish" folklore in the modern age is really a retcon by inbound cultures hostile to the native culture.

5. Historical analysis: By analyzing the historical context in which ancient cultures flourished, scholars can gain a better understanding of their beliefs and practices.

It is important to note that reconstructing ancient culture and mythology is a complex and multifaceted process, and it often involves the use of a variety of different techniques and approaches. Researchers must be careful to consider the limitations of the available evidence and to use a critical and analytical approach when interpreting this evidence.