The survival of folklore is a rare thing. In a world fixated with the modern and new, many no longer see any relevance in what they consider to be old. But folklore is more than a glimpse into our pasts. It is vibrant and alive, surviving and, indeed, thriving, layer upon layer in our environs, the places we inhabit and the words we use. What is more, each generation adds its own strata.

The stories in this book are from the town of Skibbereen, situated at the heart of West Cork, Ireland. In 1937, at the behest of The National Folklore Commission, who identified the loss of this important and valuable heritage, the children from Skibbereen's schools set to work, committing tales narrated by their parents and grandparents to paper. Here you will find stories and histories from Abbeystrowry, Aghadown, Castlehaven, the Convent of Mercy (Skibbereen), Corravoley, Creagh, Dooneen, Drishanemore, Hare [Heir] Island, Kilcoe, Lisheen, Lissalohorig, Lough Hyne, Ringagrogy and Sherkin Islands, and the town of Skibbereen.