Useful Reading & Links
Indo-European and Comparative Works
Indo-European Poetry and Myth - M L West
A broad and in depth review of the whole range of commonalities and features of the Indo-European myths, legends and poems.
In Search of the Indo-Europeans: Language, Archaeology and Myth - J.P Mallory
A more general look at the archaeology and language of the Indo-European peoples and their cultures
Mitra-Varuna: Essay on Two Indo-European Representations of Sovereignty - Georges Dumezil
A study of the dual sovereign gods in Indo-European cultures; Mitra-Varuna, Odin-Tyr, Nuada-Lug and others.
Comparative Mythology - Jaan Puhvel
Another excellent introductory text looking at the Indo-European religious cultures, illustrating and explaining the common themes.
Lady with a Mead Cup - Michael J. Enright
General 'Celtic'
Gods of the Celts - Miranda Green
A solid introductory text on Celtic religion and deities from across Europe.
Dying for the Gods - Miranda Green
An enquiry into different aspects of human sacrifice and attempt to understand the reasons behind it. Described as 'original, but often disturbing.
Animals in Celtic Life and Myth - Miranda Green
An accessible examination of the role of animals in Celtic cultures across Europe covering hunting and warfare, art and literature, religion and ritual.
Pagan Celtic Britain - Anne Ross
An academic survey of the archaeology and iconography of Celtic Britain covering sacred sites, gods and goddesses and sacred birds and animals.
The Celtic Heroic Age - editors: John T Koch & John Carey
A useful source book of both ancient and medieval texts
British Goblins - Wirt Sykes
A rich compendium of Welsh fairylore published in 1880. Available at Sacred Texts.
The Folklore of Wales - Anne Ross
A fascinating survey of the folklore of Wales covering archaeology, folk customs and oral traditions supplemented with some compelling personal stories from the author.
The History Press British Folk Tales
The History Press describes itself as 'the premier contemporary resource for British folk tales'. It publishes up-to-date anthologies of regional folk tales by local storytellers which, on the whole, are well researched, grounded in the land, accessible and well written,
Dictionary of Celtic myth & legend - Miranda Green
Exploring the world of the Celts - Simon James
Iron age communities in Britain - Barry Cunliffe
Gods with thunderbolts - Guy de la Bedoyere
Myths & legends of the Celts- James Mackillop
Wales
'THE MABINOGION'
The collection of Welsh medieval tales, first translated by Charlotte Guest in the nineteenth century, including the 'Four Branches' of Y Mabinogi, Culhwch and Olwen, and other tales from manuscripts bound together in volumes known as The White Book of Rhydderch and The Red Book of Hergest.
The Mabinogion - Sioned Davies
This is the most recent and accessible edition of these tales in English.
The Mabinogi and Other Welsh Medieval Tales - Patrick Ford
Excludes the three romances thought to have been influenced by French Arthurian tales but includes the stories of Gwion Bach and Taliesin excluded by most translators after Guest. His introduction also contains the fullest discussion of mythological aspects of the tales.
The Mabinogi, Companion Tales to the Mabinogi and Tales of Arthur - John Bollard tends to follow the word order the Welsh text rather than opting for a naturalistic English presentation. He has divided his presentation into three separate larger format editions with many photographs of landscape features associated with the tales.
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi - Will Parker
There is also an on-line text translated by Will Parker associated with his own discussion of aspects of the tales HERE
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Legendary Poems from the Book of Taliesin & Prophetic Poems from the Book of Taliesin - Marged Haycock
These are the definitive texts of the Taliesin poems presenting the original Welsh text with a line by line translation and notes detailing the interpretation of each line and a full discussion of each poem as well as of The Book of Taliesin as a whole.
Trioedd Ynys Prydein - Rachel Bromwich
A rich source of Brythonic lore and scholarly discussion of sources.
Celtic Folklore - Welsh and Manx John Rhŷs
First published in two volumes in 1901 and since reprinted a number of times.
In spite of its title it is mainly about Welsh folklore, written by a scholar with his own deep roots in the folklore of his native country and a breadth of knowledge and understanding of it which allows him to set the stories he relates in a wider context.
Available online : HERE
Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales - Alwin Rees and Brinley Rees
Provides an analysis of thematic parallels between Welsh and Irish traditions set in the context of wider mythological reference.
Ireland and Scotland
Irish Fairy Tales - James Stephens
The Silver Bough: Scottish Folk-Lore and Folk-Belief - F Marion McNeill
Scottish Wonder Tales from Myth and Legend - Donald A. Mackenzie
Scottish folk-lore and folk life : studies in race, culture and tradition - Donald Alexander Mackenzie
Ireland and the Grail - John Carey
The Tain – Kinsella’s translation
Pagan Past and Christian Present in early Irish Literature - Kim McCone.
Early Christian Ireland - Thomas Charles-Edwards.
The Book of the Cailleach - Gearóid Ó Crualaoich
Indo-European Poetry and Myth - M L West
A broad and in depth review of the whole range of commonalities and features of the Indo-European myths, legends and poems.
In Search of the Indo-Europeans: Language, Archaeology and Myth - J.P Mallory
A more general look at the archaeology and language of the Indo-European peoples and their cultures
Mitra-Varuna: Essay on Two Indo-European Representations of Sovereignty - Georges Dumezil
A study of the dual sovereign gods in Indo-European cultures; Mitra-Varuna, Odin-Tyr, Nuada-Lug and others.
Comparative Mythology - Jaan Puhvel
Another excellent introductory text looking at the Indo-European religious cultures, illustrating and explaining the common themes.
Lady with a Mead Cup - Michael J. Enright
General 'Celtic'
Gods of the Celts - Miranda Green
A solid introductory text on Celtic religion and deities from across Europe.
Dying for the Gods - Miranda Green
An enquiry into different aspects of human sacrifice and attempt to understand the reasons behind it. Described as 'original, but often disturbing.
Animals in Celtic Life and Myth - Miranda Green
An accessible examination of the role of animals in Celtic cultures across Europe covering hunting and warfare, art and literature, religion and ritual.
Pagan Celtic Britain - Anne Ross
An academic survey of the archaeology and iconography of Celtic Britain covering sacred sites, gods and goddesses and sacred birds and animals.
The Celtic Heroic Age - editors: John T Koch & John Carey
A useful source book of both ancient and medieval texts
British Goblins - Wirt Sykes
A rich compendium of Welsh fairylore published in 1880. Available at Sacred Texts.
The Folklore of Wales - Anne Ross
A fascinating survey of the folklore of Wales covering archaeology, folk customs and oral traditions supplemented with some compelling personal stories from the author.
The History Press British Folk Tales
The History Press describes itself as 'the premier contemporary resource for British folk tales'. It publishes up-to-date anthologies of regional folk tales by local storytellers which, on the whole, are well researched, grounded in the land, accessible and well written,
Dictionary of Celtic myth & legend - Miranda Green
Exploring the world of the Celts - Simon James
Iron age communities in Britain - Barry Cunliffe
Gods with thunderbolts - Guy de la Bedoyere
Myths & legends of the Celts- James Mackillop
Wales
'THE MABINOGION'
The collection of Welsh medieval tales, first translated by Charlotte Guest in the nineteenth century, including the 'Four Branches' of Y Mabinogi, Culhwch and Olwen, and other tales from manuscripts bound together in volumes known as The White Book of Rhydderch and The Red Book of Hergest.
The Mabinogion - Sioned Davies
This is the most recent and accessible edition of these tales in English.
The Mabinogi and Other Welsh Medieval Tales - Patrick Ford
Excludes the three romances thought to have been influenced by French Arthurian tales but includes the stories of Gwion Bach and Taliesin excluded by most translators after Guest. His introduction also contains the fullest discussion of mythological aspects of the tales.
The Mabinogi, Companion Tales to the Mabinogi and Tales of Arthur - John Bollard tends to follow the word order the Welsh text rather than opting for a naturalistic English presentation. He has divided his presentation into three separate larger format editions with many photographs of landscape features associated with the tales.
The Four Branches of the Mabinogi - Will Parker
There is also an on-line text translated by Will Parker associated with his own discussion of aspects of the tales HERE
-*-
Legendary Poems from the Book of Taliesin & Prophetic Poems from the Book of Taliesin - Marged Haycock
These are the definitive texts of the Taliesin poems presenting the original Welsh text with a line by line translation and notes detailing the interpretation of each line and a full discussion of each poem as well as of The Book of Taliesin as a whole.
Trioedd Ynys Prydein - Rachel Bromwich
A rich source of Brythonic lore and scholarly discussion of sources.
Celtic Folklore - Welsh and Manx John Rhŷs
First published in two volumes in 1901 and since reprinted a number of times.
In spite of its title it is mainly about Welsh folklore, written by a scholar with his own deep roots in the folklore of his native country and a breadth of knowledge and understanding of it which allows him to set the stories he relates in a wider context.
Available online : HERE
Celtic Heritage: Ancient Tradition in Ireland and Wales - Alwin Rees and Brinley Rees
Provides an analysis of thematic parallels between Welsh and Irish traditions set in the context of wider mythological reference.
Ireland and Scotland
Irish Fairy Tales - James Stephens
The Silver Bough: Scottish Folk-Lore and Folk-Belief - F Marion McNeill
Scottish Wonder Tales from Myth and Legend - Donald A. Mackenzie
Scottish folk-lore and folk life : studies in race, culture and tradition - Donald Alexander Mackenzie
Ireland and the Grail - John Carey
The Tain – Kinsella’s translation
Pagan Past and Christian Present in early Irish Literature - Kim McCone.
Early Christian Ireland - Thomas Charles-Edwards.
The Book of the Cailleach - Gearóid Ó Crualaoich
