Irish folklore leprechaun, banshees, changelings and many others. The origin of these Irish fairies could be dated back to the ancient Celtic beliefs of pagan Gods and supernatural beings. However, there is no linear path that traces the development of fairy lore in Ireland from its origin. Irish fairy lore has influenced many English authors, such as Jonathan Swift, who wrote Gulliver's Travels while living in Ireland. Ó Súilleabháin was part of the Irish Folklore Commission, "Béaloideas". Not long after the foundation of the commission he created two books for the collectors. The first, in 1937, a shorter volume in the Irish
Irish folklore of Caeilte of the Fianna, an ancient clan of Celtic warriors). All in all, the current Irish folklore shows a strong absorption of Christianity, including its lesson of morality and spiritual beliefs, creating a “singular brand of fairy tale tradition”. Folklore is a part of national identity, and is evolving through time. During the 16th century, the English conquest overthrew the traditional political and religious autonomy of the country. The Great famine of 1840’s, and the deaths and emigration it brought, weakened a still powerful Gaelic culture, especially within the rural proletariat, which was at the time the most traditional