The ancient Kingdom of Dál 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, Dál 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. |
