Irish Mythology Podcast

Irish Mythology Podcast

Marcas and Stephie adapt and retell famous, and not so famous stories from Irish Mythology and Folklore. Each episode features a dramatic reading of one of these tales, along with a deep dive into the original versions that they are adapted from. Encounter mighty warriors, druids, witches, demons, monsters, gods, fairies, ghosts, saints, and scholars as we travel to magical locations in the Irish otherworld - below the ground, under the sea, in the sky and beyond the realm of comprehension. Support our work: https://www.patreon.com/irishmythologypodcast

Episodes

August 21, 2024 63 mins

The Milesians are here!

Discover the mythical ancestors of the Gaelic Irish and their journey from the city known today as A Coruña in Galicia.

Íth, Míl and their crew have set sail for the island from Íth’s vision but the sea and the gods who govern it have other ideas. Before they reach their destination they must weather a deadly storm, and even then, the island beyond the waves is not exactly welcoming. 

We talk about the euhemeri...

Mark as Played

The Milesians are coming!

Discover the mythical ancestors of the Gaelic Irish and their journey from the city known today as A Coruña in Galicia.

Íth sees a mysterious island across the sea from atop his father's tower in the north west Iberian settlement of Brigantia. Despite the discouragement of the elders, he and his nephew Míl forge a plan to sail to this magical land that one day will be known as Ireland.


We talk a...

Mark as Played
We talk about the relevance of Irish Mythology in a time of climate crisis, the meaning of The Second Battle of Moytura, ancient Irish calendar customs, astrological agriculture, and M People. Bres faces trial for treason! Does the Fomorian collaborator have anything to offer in return for his life? The Dagda, Lugh and, Ogma travel to The Hebridies to take back The Dagda’s harp and the stolen cattle herd of Ireland. Starring: Lugh...
Mark as Played
December 14, 2022 72 mins

This time it's war!

We've been leading up to this battle since episode three and well, here it is.

The Tuath Dé face the Fomóir at Moytura and Lugh will finally face his grandfather, Balor of the Destructive Eye.

Starring: Lugh, Balor, Indech, Ogma, Airmed, Loch Half-Green.

Co Starring: The Dagda, Macha, Nuada, Elatha, Bres, Gobniu, Dian Cecht, Luchta, Ochtriuil, Miach.

credits

Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUis...

Mark as Played

The walking dead, a talking corpse, a journey to the otherworld! 

Join Nera as he accepts a Halloween challenge that ends up being a lot more than he bargained for. 

We talk horror in Irish mythology, the good people, the restless dead and time travel!

Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.

Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attributio...

Mark as Played
The Fomorians are under attack! The invaders' plan to conquer Ireland has been severely disrupted by none other than the daughter of their king, Indech Mac Dé Domhnainn. Just when they think they think they are through the worst, they face a new foe, The Morrígan, the deadliest goddess of them all.  We talk about The Morrígan, death on the battlefield, the boundaries between our world and the otherworld, and who Jeff Goldbloom coul...
Mark as Played
The Fomorians are on their way and Lugh wants to fight, but the other gods are keeping him from the battle. Convinced his destiny is to defeat the sinister Balor, he bides his time and prepares his fellow deities for the coming confrontation.  We talk about the concept of destiny and ask "what would a Fomorian victory mean for Ireland?" credits Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. Story...
Mark as Played
The Fomorians are ready to march to meet the Tuath Dé in Battle but their battle plans omitted a plan to ask the land spirits for permission to cross their territory. Will their lack of respect come back to bite them? Starring: Balor, Bres, Elatha, Indech Mac Dé Domhnan, and his unnamed daughter. Co-Starring various Fomorians, the forest, a river. A cautionary tale on why you should always make sure your family aren’t mad at you be...
Mark as Played
April 27, 2022 66 mins

The episode contains some explicit content. 

The Dagda is on a mission. He travels to the west to scout the invading Fomorian armies, but it's not all business for the supreme father. On his way, he meets up with The Morrígan for their annual tryst and later on, he hooks up with an unlikely lover. All's fair in love, war and sorcery. 

We talk censorship, sex in mythology, the Tao of The Dagda, Ancient Mesopotamian smut an...

Mark as Played

We examine the curious folklore around the figure of St. Sheelah who isn't mentioned in Patrick's writings or in the works of his hagiographers. We travel to Newfoundland, Canada and Australia in search of answers.

Written, presented and produced  by  Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín.

With special thanks to Theresa O'Keefe and Dymphna Lonergan.

Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative...

Mark as Played
October 30, 2021 47 mins

We talk about that old Irish harbinger of death, the Banshee, her connections with Badbh and the Morrigan, the tradition of keening at funerals and Professor of folklore, Patricia Lysaght's extensive research on the topic.

credits

Written, presented and produced  by Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh and Marcas Ó hUiscín.

Music – Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 public licence

https://cre...

Mark as Played
September 29, 2021 32 mins
Lugh is about to lead the Tuath Dé to war, but first he wants to bring his father's killers to justice.  We talk Lugh's epithets, ridiculous fines and reading the fine print.  credits Spnspored by mccaffreycrafts.com Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh. This episode is sponsored by McCaffrey Crafts https://mccaffreycrafts.com Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Cre...
Mark as Played
Balor, a giant who lives in an invisible tower, commands one of the most fearsome armies that has ever been. He is prosperous, respected and feared, but there is something in his past that torments him. When Bres and the druid Lobais return to Balor's island stronghold from mainland Ireland  reporting the rise of a new hero, the skeletons in his closet grow new flesh. We talk Balor, his supposedly evil eye, place lore, prophecy, sl...
Mark as Played
July 30, 2021 54 mins
Lugh goes to Tara to claim his place in the hall of the gods but first he will have to prove his value to them. To do this he must win at an ancient Irish version of chess called fidchell and undergo a test of strength from Ogma. We talk about Lugh, the festival of Lughnasadh, the continental celtic god Lugus, and the Welsh mythological figure Lleu Llaw Gyffes. Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní ...
Mark as Played

Bres and the Fomorians are raiding Ireland but Nuada doesn't want to drag the Tuath Dé into another war. Lugh and Bodbh Dearg take matters into their own hands and organise the riders of the sidhe into a resistance militia.

We also talk placelore, Lughnasadh and what archaeology can tell us about the worship of Lugh.


credits

Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.

Music - Celtic W...

Mark as Played

Vikings! Fish! Goat headed men! Sliding into DM's Medieval style! A clue to the biggest mystery in Irish Mythology!

Bres has lost the kingship of the Tuath Dé and now he's throwing a strop, but he has a plan. Maybe his estranged father and his people the Fomorian's can help him. He already knows one of them, a sinister figure known as Balor.

Before anything can happen, he has to find his dad and the only one who can help i...

Mark as Played

It's time for Midir to face the music. He and Étain have been enjoying an extended honeymoon at Brú na Bóinne as guests of Aengus, but now he must return to Brí Leith where Fuamnach, the wife he left behind waits. Did we mention that Fuamnach is a powerful sorceress? 

Starring: Midir, Étain, Fuamnach.

Co-Starring Aengus, The Dagda, Ogma, Lugh. 

We talk polygamy in early medieval Ireland, Brehon Law, sorcery , flies in myt...

Mark as Played

A look at what's ahead this summer on the Irish Mythology Podcast. 

The conclusion of subtale 1 of The Wooing of Etain

The Fate of the Sons of Tuireann

The Second Battle of Moytura

Lugh, Balor and the Formorians, plus more from The Morrigan, The Dagda and Ogma.

Written, presented and produced  by Marcas Ó hUiscín and Stephanie Ní Thiarnaigh.

Music - Celtic Warrior by Damiano Baldoni (licensed under Creative Comm...

Mark as Played

Midir loses an eye while trying to break up a fight; Dian Cecht works some healing magic; Aengus goes up to Down to woo Étaín for Midir; The Dagda fights an Octopus; WB Yeats is CANCELLED!

We ask if Aengus really was a god of love and/or a god of poetry and how he came to be associated with these things and we talk about family and networks of mutual aid.

There's a lot to unpack in this episode, the penultimate chapter in the first...

Mark as Played

Patrick has had a lot of success spreading the word of God in Ireland, but one native deity and his followers are not going without a fight. Who will win this epic confrontation? Patrick versus Crom Cruach; This time it's biblical!

We talk Patrick, Cromm Cruach, hagiography, human sacrifice, Lóegaire mac Néill, and the different ways Christianity and native Irish Paganism interacted. We also make a bit of time to talk old St. Patri...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Burden

    The Burden is a documentary series that takes listeners into the hidden places where justice is done (and undone). It dives deep into the lives of heroes and villains. And it focuses a spotlight on those who triumph even when the odds are against them. Season 5 - The Burden: Death & Deceit in Alliance On April Fools Day 1999, 26-year-old Yvonne Layne was found murdered in her Alliance, Ohio home. David Thorne, her ex-boyfriend and father of one of her children, was instantly a suspect. Another young man admitted to the murder, and David breathed a sigh of relief, until the confessed murderer fingered David; “He paid me to do it.” David was sentenced to life without parole. Two decades later, Pulitzer winner and podcast host, Maggie Freleng (Bone Valley Season 3: Graves County, Wrongful Conviction, Suave) launched a “live” investigation into David's conviction alongside Jason Baldwin (himself wrongfully convicted as a member of the West Memphis Three). Maggie had come to believe that the entire investigation of David was botched by the tiny local police department, or worse, covered up the real killer. Was Maggie correct? Was David’s claim of innocence credible? In Death and Deceit in Alliance, Maggie recounts the case that launched her career, and ultimately, “broke” her.” The results will shock the listener and reduce Maggie to tears and self-doubt. This is not your typical wrongful conviction story. In fact, it turns the genre on its head. It asks the question: What if our champions are foolish? Season 4 - The Burden: Get the Money and Run “Trying to murder my father, this was the thing that put me on the path.” That’s Joe Loya and that path was bank robbery. Bank, bank, bank, bank, bank. In season 4 of The Burden: Get the Money and Run, we hear from Joe who was once the most prolific bank robber in Southern California, and beyond. He used disguises, body doubles, proxies. He leaped over counters, grabbed the money and ran. Even as the FBI was closing in. It was a showdown between a daring bank robber, and a patient FBI agent. Joe was no ordinary bank robber. He was bright, articulate, charismatic, and driven by a dark rage that he summoned up at will. In seven episodes, Joe tells all: the what, the how… and the why. Including why he tried to murder his father. Season 3 - The Burden: Avenger Miriam Lewin is one of Argentina’s leading journalists today. At 19 years old, she was kidnapped off the streets of Buenos Aires for her political activism and thrown into a concentration camp. Thousands of her fellow inmates were executed, tossed alive from a cargo plane into the ocean. Miriam, along with a handful of others, will survive the camp. Then as a journalist, she will wage a decades long campaign to bring her tormentors to justice. Avenger is about one woman’s triumphant battle against unbelievable odds to survive torture, claim justice for the crimes done against her and others like her, and change the future of her country. Season 2 - The Burden: Empire on Blood Empire on Blood is set in the Bronx, NY, in the early 90s, when two young drug dealers ruled an intersection known as “The Corner on Blood.” The boss, Calvin Buari, lived large. He and a protege swore they would build an empire on blood. Then the relationship frayed and the protege accused Calvin of a double homicide which he claimed he didn’t do. But did he? Award-winning journalist Steve Fishman spent seven years to answer that question. This is the story of one man’s last chance to overturn his life sentence. He may prevail, but someone’s gotta pay. The Burden: Empire on Blood is the director’s cut of the true crime classic which reached #1 on the charts when it was first released half a dozen years ago. Season 1 - The Burden In the 1990s, Detective Louis N. Scarcella was legendary. In a city overrun by violent crime, he cracked the toughest cases and put away the worst criminals. “The Hulk” was his nickname. Then the story changed. Scarcella ran into a group of convicted murderers who all say they are innocent. They turned themselves into jailhouse-lawyers and in prison founded a lway firm. When they realized Scarcella helped put many of them away, they set their sights on taking him down. And with the help of a NY Times reporter they have a chance. For years, Scarcella insisted he did nothing wrong. But that’s all he’d say. Until we tracked Scarcella to a sauna in a Russian bathhouse, where he started to talk..and talk and talk. “The guilty have gone free,” he whispered. And then agreed to take us into the belly of the beast. Welcome to The Burden.

    SmartLess

    "SmartLess" with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, & Will Arnett is a podcast that connects and unites people from all walks of life to learn about shared experiences through thoughtful dialogue and organic hilarity. A nice surprise: in each episode of SmartLess, one of the hosts reveals his mystery guest to the other two. What ensues is a genuinely improvised and authentic conversation filled with laughter and newfound knowledge to feed the SmartLess mind. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes of SmartLess ad-free and a whole week early. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

    The Breakfast Club

    The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2026 iHeartMedia, Inc.