Legend has it that Fairy Trees can be found throughout Ireland, which are believed to be the habitat of "tiny people". The superstitions surrounding the Fairy Trees are still very strong among the Irish, even among practical people who are not inclined to believe in myths and superstitions. Therefore, no one touches the Fairy Trees and does not cut them down unnecessarily.
What is Fairy Tree?
The fairy tree is usually hawthorn or ash, but what sets the Fairy Tree apart from any other tree is its special location. The Fairy Tree is in the center of the field or on the side of the road and is fairly easy to spot if you know what you are looking for. Some of these trees are surrounded by stones stacked around as if for protection, but who put them there? Locals or magical tiny people?
This is what a typical Fairy Tree looks like during the day.
"Fairy Trees" in Irish Folklore
Ireland is a place with thousands of folklore stories, and Fairy Trees are still often spoken of today. Some believe that these trees are the gateway between the mortal worlds and the other world, inhabited by fairies and other mystical creatures.
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Irish mythology is full of legends describing how fairies (sidhe) travel to the underworld.
When the Milesians or Gauls arrived in Ireland, they began to feud with the Tuatha De Danann, children of the Goddess Danu. As a result, the Tuatha De Danann (fairies) went underground and became known as fairy people, sidhe or tiny little people.
The Tiny People had many entrances to the underworld, such as in mounds, underwater, and even at the roots of the Fairy Trees. As you can imagine, this gate is extremely important for the movement of tiny people, so it is heavily protected by magic. In Ireland, you won't be considered crazy if you say that you accidentally found a leprechaun or other mystical creature near the Fairy Tree.
Superstitions about Fairy Trees
Fairy trees are considered sacred places for tiny people, they are surrounded by many superstitions. As you probably already guessed, some of them are related to luck and failure. Some believe that if you damage or cut down one of the magical trees, you will face misfortune.
And at night it transforms …
Irish farmers try not to touch the mystical trees, even if that means they will not be able to grow crops where the tree grows. When traveling in Ireland, you will often see a beautifully cultivated field with the Fairy Tree in the center and untouched, a testament to the farmer's unwillingness to risk his luck.
In Ireland, too, there are many stories of roadworks being delayed simply because the Fairy Tree got in the way and the workers refused to touch it. In most cases, roads are designed around such a tree.
There is a story about how the famous car manufacturer DeLorean cut down a fabulous tree during the construction of a plant in Dunmurri on the outskirts of Belfast. It is believed that DeLorean failed in business precisely because he encroached on the green house of the fairies.