Ireland's Animals

Ancient Ireland was such a healthy place no poisonous plant could grow and cattle had to be restrained from over-eating in case they burst! In early Irish legend it wasn't St Patrick who expelled the snakes from Ireland, but Moses! A frog foretold the victory of the Normans in Ireland; the last wolf in Ireland was killed in Carlow in 1786; a cure for burns was to be licked by a person who had licked a lizard. This compilation of folklore, legends, and history relating to animals in Ireland includes description of their relations with people and being hunted for food, fur, sport, or as vermin, and their position today. How and when non-native animals arrived in Ireland is discussed and how the boundary between wild and domestic animals has been more uncertain than people realise. The book ends with an imaginative section inspired by stories of animal transformation, looking at twelve animals and how we can visualise ourselves as having their special qualities and so enrich our lives and deal with situations differently.