Thank you Simon & Schuster Audio for the gifted audiobook of Celtic Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses and Heroes Handbook by Sorcha Hegarty and Aron Hegarty.
If you love mythology, you need this book. This is a great introduction to the mythological figures and creatures of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Here’s the summary from the publisher:
Prepare to be entertained as you learn about the many myths and legends of the Celtic people. From the storytelling duo behind the Candlelit Tales, this collection weaves together the stories of those heroes, deities, and monsters that make up the mythology.
Drawing together the mythology and tales of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales, this book is a comprehensive collection of the fascinating gods, goddesses, heroes, and monsters that make up the compendium of Celtic myths and legends. Celtic Mythology offers an accessible exploration of the rich tapestry of stories and characters that define Celtic culture and have fascinated people for centuries.
This is a great starting point for learning about Celtic mythology. I thought the format was easy to follow and very accessible. The authors start out with a very brief history of the Celtic people. This is just a quick overview and not a deep dive, but it’s perfect. It just gives concise information of the different ancient peoples and where they came from. They also look at how the introduction of Christianity impacted the original myths.
After that, each chapter deals with a different mythological being or creature from Ireland, Scotland, or Wales. I really liked that each chapter had “the story you need to know” that told most popular or well known myth about a particular god, goddess, or hero. Every chapter concluded with a “now you know” portion which was a brief analysis of symbolism, other major myths that the subject is associated with, variations of the character/creature and adaptations in popular culture, books, movies, tv shows, and video games.
One of my favorite myths from this book was the story of Diarmuid & Grainne. It’s a tragic love story. I also enjoyed the stories of mighty warriors Cuchulain, Queen Maeve, and Fionn Mac Cumhail (or Finn MacCool). The story of the Welsh Red Dragon was another favorite. I also didn’t realize how often King Arthur turned up in so many different myths. That dude really got around.
The authors provide a wonderful and entertaining narration for the audiobook. They brought the myths to life and I could sense they love these ancient stories. They are professional storytellers and have their own podcast. I highly recommend this fantastic introduction to Celtic mythology.
Do you like mythology? What’s your favorite myth or legend?
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About the Authors
Sorcha Hegarty and Aron Hegarty are storytelling siblings with a deep love of Celtic myths and a passion for sharing stories. Based in Ireland, they created Candlelit Tales in 2014 and have grown their storytelling business to include a short tour in North America. With a decade of research and storytelling under their belts, Aron and Sorcha are content experts with an ongoing drive to learn more about the tales they tell. As their fanbase grows, they become even more passionate about sharing their stories with the world.
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