Cailleach - One of the great Celtic ancestors, the Cailleach was the goddess of the cold and the winds. Sometimes known as the Veiled One or the Queen of Winter, the Cailleach determined the winter’s length and harshness. She was both a divine hag and creator deity.

Balor of the evil eye was a powerful leader of the Formorians; a dark and demonic race that were the terrible oppressors of the Tuatha De Danann. He is the mythical tyrant, a sort of evil Goliath character, with huge destructive power in his ‘eye’.

Púca are shape-shifting troublemakers. Legends say that the púca can change into many animals but horses bearing sleek coats, wild manes and flaming eyes are the most common animal shape of these mischievous fairies. When in human form, these fairies still bear animalistic characteristics.

Fomorians

My imagining of the Fomori, a race of demonic beings who posed a threat to the inhabitants of Éire until they were defeated by the god-race the Tuatha Dé Danann.

Bean Sídhe

Banshee or "woman of the fairies" is a female supernatural being in Irish folklore whose mournful keening at night was believed to foretell the death of a member of the family/the person who heard the spirit. You would be hard pressed to find anyone in Ireland that hasn’t heard of her.

Petticoat Loose,

limbs weighing a tonne. Her left hand was said to be larger than her right and she fought with a supernatural strength that could kill a man with a flick of her finger. She's said to be seen stalking country roads late at night and sometimes even taking on the form of a horse.

Corpse candles

believes to be mysterious luminaries that portended death.

Lig na Paiste,

or the “Last Great Reptile of Ireland” was a giant serpent, an ancient remnant from the beginning of the world who dwelt in a forest pool near the headwaters of the Owenreagh River.

Red-Eyed Hare

Hares feature regularly in folklore and in Ireland are
usually connected to the Otherworld. Tricksters and
witches would assume the form of hares, so it was considered very bad luck to harm them, especially before dawn.

Amadán Dubh - also known as the “‘Dark Fool'” or “Fairy Fool”, is a trickster found in Irish folklore, and is the “bringer of madness and oblivion.” It is said if you were touched by the Amadán Dubh you would decent into madness, never to return again!

Details from my Riso Zine 'Burial Talismans' - a pocket sized visual metaphor for the grief and talismans we carry with us 🖤

Revisiting/reflecting on my first project this year 🩷 This precious paper chain of women was commissioned by the Tate Collective and explores the ideas of strength in women's solidarity - something integral to my artistic practice 🫶

'Jaffa Oranges' one of my paintings for Palestine - fundraiser print on my website bebhinneilish.com 🇵🇸