Old tales from the ancient kingdom that once encompassed the north-eastern corner of Ireland and the Inner Hebrides. The ancient Kingdom of Dal Riada stretched from County Antrim on the north-east coast of Hibernia up through the Hebrides to the Isle of Skye. Founded by the chieftain Fergus Mor ? Fergus the Great ? fifteen centuries ago, Dal Riada was once a mighty sea-faring power. The kingdom was fought over by Gaelic Chieftains and marauding Vikings. At its heart was a monastery built on Iona by St Columba. From here Irish monks spread Christianity throughout Britannia. Generations of ordinary people lived and laughed and loved on a hundred different islands - Rathlin, Islay, Jura, Mull and Skye to name but a few. Their ghosts can still be heard in the stories told of selkies, sea monsters, faeries, ancient battles and heroic deeds. This is the first time that a collection of Dal Riata folklore has been put together. AUTHOR: Colin Urwin is from the Glens of Antrim in Northern Ireland and has been described as a modern-day Seanchai. He is best known as an authentic storyteller throughout Ireland and the UK, and appears at folk and storytelling festivals and conferences all over the world. 30 b/w illustrations
