The Fairy Wood of Corkagh Park in Clondalkin is a magical place, and today I'm going to take you on a photo tour of this enchanted forest.
Last year in late December, just before Christmas, my little girl and I went on a quest to discover fairies in the woods. Her Nana sent her an Irish Fairy Door as a gift, and from the moment she laid eyes on the little arched portal, she was under a magical spell.
Irish Fairy Doors in the Woods
She searched The Irish Fairy Door company website to learn everything she could about Irish fairies, and lo and behold she discovered a fairy trail in Dublin.
Now Nana lives in Dublin so a quick day trip to the fairy woods was easy, once hats and scarves were donned to combat a crisp, cold day.
Trees for the Fairies
These Irish fairies guard their woods all year round.
Most of the trees had completely shed their leaves, making them eerily appealing. Spotting the fairy homes perched high amongst the branches was soooo much fun.
We met two elderly women on our trails, beaming from ear to ear. They were unaware of the fairy surprises awaiting them in the woods, and they told us they both felt like little girls again, as they searched from tree to tree for fairy doors.
Síog (pronounced shee-oh-gh) is the head fairy in this neck of the woods and her fancy toadstool door was easily spotted.
The sugar sweet fairy, Maple, simply loves treats!
This clever little fairy placed her door on a crack in the bark, close to the sweet sap of the tree.
Each fairy shares information about the special job he or she performs.
Bart is the protector of all the trees in the fairy woods.
Fairy Furniture and Meeting Places
My little girl ran from tree to tree excitedly discovering each new door and fairy name.
At the foot of a very large trunk we discovered this fairy meeting spot.
We believe the fairies of this wood hold their council meetings here. What a perfect place for a snack or a picnic. I'm sure the fairies would enjoy munching stray crumbs.
And fairies love toadstools. We found quite a few wooden toad stools just perfect for perching and pondering magical matters.
But our favorite tree of all was the "Worry Tree".
You simply lay your palm on the worry plaque, whisper your worries to the listening tree, and all those crazy problems magically disappear.
And you can always mail your letters to the fairies in these magical woods.
We imagined Twinkle watching over us with a sparkle in her eyes. She's an expert at making people smile.
She helps the light to shimmer though the branches and leaves, even on a winter's day.
Ray picked a tree that faces east, so that he can see the rising sun every morning.
There's a moonlight fairy, and a storm fairy who's actually very calm, and not at all afraid of bad weather.
Giant Redwood Trees in the Fairy Wood of Corkagh Park
This great grandfather red wood tree guards the entrance to the fairy wood. It is one of just a few of these California natives to be found in Ireland. And as we hugged this giant, we felt a magical connection to our home in America.
You can learn all about the fairies of Corkagh Park and check out a map of their home on The Irish Fairy Door Company website.
We loved the Fairy Wood of Corkagh Park. A big thank you to South Dublin County Council for inviting the fairies into these woods and for sprinkling a little bit of fairy dust in this suburban Dublin park. It truly is a wonderful place.
If you would like to learn more about these fairy doors why not check out my introductory blog post.
And don't forget you can enter to win one of three fairy doors by checking out and commenting on this giveaway post by December 2nd, 2015 at noon.
If you would like to purchase an Irish fairy door they are available in the US through these retailers.
Slán agus beannacht!
(Goodbye and blessings)
Irish American Mom
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Gene
Thanks, Mairead, for sharing your trip with your daughter. It's good that she gets to visit that beautiful country.
My wife and I made our first trip this past September and enjoyed one of their few 2-week periods of no rain. So much easier to see the beauty. We saw no fairies; but were taken by the beautiful gardens, trails and woods at Blarney and felt that they might be watching us. We might be among the few that never got to the castle.
Irish American Mom
Hi Gene - Now that's a claim to fame - the first Americans to visit Blarney to miss the castle. I fully understand how the beautiful parklands around the castle were calling, and time just disappears. So glad to hear you enjoyed your time in Ireland, and that you actually experience the Emerald Isle with very little rain. The scenery is spectacular when the sun shines.
All the best,
Mairéad
Debra
Dear Mairead,
What a delightful posting & story/photos of the Fairy Woods. It appealed to the child in me & on my next trip to Ireland I'm going to make sure to include the woods. I loved knowing there are California redwoods there. Trees are so noble & I can't help feeling they are far more entitled to be here as we are. They represent the spirit of the earth & it's not surprising that fairies want to live in them. Thank you for posting this story.
Yours, Debra
Irish American Mom
Hi Debra - In Irish folklore faeries love trees. A lone tree standing in the middle of a field is always said to belong to the faeries. Hawthorns are their favorite. Trees are beautiful and definitely connect us to the spiritual. Thanks for joining me on this little ramble through the woods.
All the best,
Mairéad
Cheryl Barker
Oh Mairéad, what fun! And what a great memory for you and your little girl. She will remember it always! Hope you and yours have a blessed December!
Irish American Mom
Hi Cheryl - Happiness is all about creating memories that last a lifetime. I hope your December will be full of wonderful memories too.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Tom
Oh nice, I'm going to have nightmares for months!
Nice pictures and very interesting!
Irish American Mom
Hi Tom - You'll have to find a worry tree to help take those nightmares away.
Thanks for stopping by to check out my photos and ramblings.
All the best,
Mairéad
Michelle
Hi- We will have to put this on our list of things to visit. We are planning a trip this year- can you recommend any other fairy-related things to see for two little girls who are enchanted by such things?
Michelle
Irish American Mom
Hi Michelle - I hope your trip to Ireland will be wonderful. When you're driving around the countryside get your two little ones to watch out for trees that are all alone in the middle of a field or hedgerow. In Ireland we believe these are fairy trees, especially when they are hawthorn trees. A group of trees growing in a circle in the middle of a field are thought to make up a fairy ring. My kids love to watch out for these signs of the fairies when we are in Ireland.
If you are going to West Cork, Rineen Woods outside Union Hall is home to some fairies. Here's an information link ....
http://www.easypeazyfamilybreaks.com/oldsite/fairy-trails-rineen-woods/
Here's a link for a family farm with a visitor center known as Tír na Sí (pronounced Teer nah shee) which means the land of the fairies. They feature fairy doors and I'm sure they have fairy stories to share ...
http://tirnasi.com/
Best wishes,
Mairéad