Eibhilín

Refelction

In my folklore Eibhilín, I used two main legends in the Celtic tradition of fairies and Ciardha, meaning darkness.  I used these two specific legends because of my interest in their fairy legends and my connection to the spiritual meaning of light versus dark. The fairy aspect of the story was an important detail to add to make it seem like the folklore tales they had long ago.

They used fairies and other mythical creatures to explain stories of their culture, religion, politics and more. 
It is evident that the fairy lore component of our tradition bearer's repertoire, although possessing strong local colouring (something which is to be expected in traditions dealing with nature-beings such as the fairies) is nevertheless part of the fairy faith in Ireland...

The main themes comprising the storyteller's fairy-lore are: locations of the fairy world, fairy origin and hope of salvation, social organisation and way of life of the fairy world, fairy physique and dress, and interaction between the fairy world and the human world. (Lysaght, "TRADITIONAL BELIEFS AND NARRATIVES")

This quote shows how fairies were and are a big part of Irish traditions and folklore.  It also addresses common themes that tie into fairy folklore. These are two very important reasons as to why I chose fairies as the main characters, and why it is a crucial part to my story.  With these two Irish legends together, of fairies and dark versus light, you can add in the common fairytale theme of light winning over darkness. 

I used a lot of Celtic terms throughout the story like Shea meaning fairy palace, Breena meaning fairy land, Shaylee meaning fairy princess of the field, Orla meaning golden queen, Caxigo meaning oak, Branha meaning meadow, Kallan meaning warrior, and Fynn meaning white or fair.  With these words I was able to make the story seem more of a traditional legend, with also my modern twist on the plot and storyline. 
The way the plot was laid out, I took what a traditional Irish story would look like, and put a literary modern twist to it. 

The reason why I chose of Eibhilín, meaning light, to be the fairy princess next in line for the throne instead of Shaylee, meaning princess of the field, is because of the underarching theme of dark versus light. 

Eibhilín being the protagonist to battle the darkness comes from most fairy tales of the good winning over the bad, and the Irish tales of fairies being known for sharing light in the world.  "It is when we come to fairies and 'fairy doctors', we feel most some light, no matter how smokey." (Yeats, "Writings on Irish Folklore") 

The word Ciardha can also be interpreted to mean chaos in some translations, and the chaotic darkness used in the story was a perfect way to tie modern tales into the Irish stories.  Darkness is used often in many cultures and traditions to be an imagery for evil, wrongdoings, and death. (Yeats, "Writings on Irish Folklore") 

Having these contrasts of imagery where light is good and darkness is bad, is incorporated inside most stories of good and evil.  The imagery of dark and light, and evil and good, shows the morals and lessons that can come out of folklores and lessons. 

The Encyclopedia of Celtic Mythology and Folklore states that, "the celts did not see darkness and light as antagonists, in the way that the Persian philosophy of manichaeism, for instance, did; rather, they were complimentary parts of a single whole." (Monaghan, "The Encyclopedia of Celtic") 

The reason I did not use this form of interpretation of darkness and light is because of metaphors and imagery that still comes from darkness versus light in the Celtic faith and tradition. 
I tried to use as much of Irish traditions and sacred items as I can in the short story to make it more turned towards a folktale.  "Natural sites in Ireland, England, Scotland, and Wales--such as wells, springs, forests and groves, hills, caves, and boulders--have played important sacred roles across waves of religious change." (Walsham, "The Reformation of the Landscape")  

I used caxigo, or oak, as the main tree where she first saw the darkness, because oak is held as a sacred tree to celts and other groups.  Meadows and forests were broadly used throughout a lot of stories that I researched throughout my writing process, so I felt it was needed to add them in my story as well.  There are also references and stories to monks and religious figures being helped by, or at one with nature. 

There are tales about St. Kevin of Glendalough having a sensitivity to nature, with him living in solitude with lakes and mountains to help him survive.  Glendalough is a great example of nature being sacred through my own personal experience as well as St. Kevin's. (Joyce 41) 

Another tradition held sacred to the Celts would have been blessings, poems, and prayers.  The poem used in the ending where Eibhilín destroys the darkness, is actually a Scottish blessing of light that I thought fit perfectly with the story. (Birch, "Celtic Blessings and Prayers") 

I tried to find an Irish blessing, but I couldn't look away from the one I used, so that is why it is Scottish. The blessing, in my interpretation, shows how the light can be inside of you, but also shone around you.  This light that is inside of you can be shared with the world, wherever you may go.  This blessing is perfect for shining the light you have within you to make the darkness run and hide.  It is also kind of a mantra for my faith of sharing the light of Jesus with the world.  I feel as if it was a perfect tie in to the Celtic Christian faith.

I tried not to base this story on my life too much, but sometimes it just happens!  I resemble Eibhilín in more ways than just sharing eye colors.  I have always had a problem with being strong and standing up to evil with a pure and strong heart, but would do anything for the people I love. 

When writing the story, I used all of the characters in my head to symbolize the people in my own life subconsciously.  The grandmother could be a mixture of my mom and actual grandmother in their ways of parenting, and how they portray themselves as queens in general! 

The little sister is a mixture of my two siblings, and actually mixed them together in personalities.  My sister is the crazy little girl who would pick different colors everyday and was always in my business, and my brother would be the part that is always trying to be with me, and the one I will do anything for.  Fynn would actually be multiple friends and loved ones combined, and basically represents the friend that everyone needs in their life to look out for them. 

Kallan is the hard one to describe where I got my inspiration from.  If anything, Kallan would be my mom and deceased dad, in the way that he watched over Eibhilín and was always overprotective to take care of her.  The darkness in the story can be most similar to the tragic experience of my father dying and me having to be strong for my younger siblings. 

The 'darkness' took over our family in a way that made us into closer relation of zombies, rather than actual people.  We didn't go to church for the entire summer, and we weren't even ready when school started back again because of the hole we dug for ourselves to stay in.  It took a lot of strength and faith for us to go back to school and church, and when we did, we were brought back to the light of God that helped us through the grieving process correctly. 

I still try to be strong for my siblings in every way possible, but that was the hardest time of my life to not breakdown every two seconds and just give up.  I held onto the light inside of me, and I put it into my faith so that I could share that light with my family and the world.  I also used my experience in the Glendalough woods as a setting for the story. 

The light going through the trees and brush was the perfect spot to set my story upon, and I could picture in my mind what it would look like with total darkness coming into such a beautiful and magical place such as that. It was a small tie in to the story, but the place had such a huge impact on me that I felt it wouldn't be right unless I added it into the story. 

With all of the different aspects I tied into the short story, I feel as if I made an adequate depiction of what a modern Irish folktale would look like.