If you are a regular reader of our website, you will know a thing or two about the incredible power of storytelling.
Whether it is in comic books, on TV, or the big screen, there is nothing quite like a powerful and compelling tale. Great stories have the ability to take us away from the mundane moments of everyday life and transport us to entirely different worlds. In addition, they can introduce us to new ideas and even change how we generally view the world.
Of course, every culture across the globe has great stories and memorable characters, with many of them having an impact on mainstream media over the years. However, few cultures have story ideas or themes that are quite as memorable as those from the Emerald Isle. Ireland has been the birthplace of some incredible concepts and they continue to play a key role across many forms of media today. Here, we are going to examine how the region’s incredible influence can be felt across several different forms of media at the moment.
Colorful characters
Irish culture has always had strong links to storytelling, as it is rich in mythology and possesses an array of intriguing creatures and characters. Ireland Before You Die features a full A to Z of creatures from the country’s folklore and it touches upon well-known names like fairies and banshees. It also references some entities that are perhaps lesser-known, including the Glaistig. The site explains how the latter is a half-woman half-goat creature.
However, probably the most famous of all the creatures from Irish mythology is, of course, the Leprechaun. A real mainstay of popular culture, the imagery around them is incredibly famous, as they are often shown wearing green and associated with the search for precious pots of gold. The creatures have had an impact in so many areas, from the world of horror movies to even the domain of online slots.
As Paddy Power explains, Rainbow Riches is one of the most popular slots available online at the moment and it features a whole host of imagery and iconography related to traditional Irish culture. A leprechaun features prominently in the title, while the mythology around them is also reflected in elements of the gameplay. For instance, Paddy Power outlines how the Pots of Gold Bonus shows different pots spinning over the leprechaun’s head. Each has a different value and the one that lands at the bottom of the screen highlights a win multiplier that players will receive.
A different approach
But, while Ireland’s myth and magic might have had a big impact on pop culture, the country’s heritage has also been celebrated in media in other ways.
Another intriguing example is The Secret of Kells. While it is an animated movie, it takes a quite different approach to Irish culture when compared to something like Rainbow Riches. Cartoon Saloon created the feature and its official site outlines how it tells a story based around the origins of the Book of Kells, an actual manuscript thought to be one of Ireland’s most famous historical artifacts. However, while the actual plot of The Secret of Kells undoubtedly has a strong Irish influence, the culture is also reflected in other ways. Cartoon Saloon explains how the animation within the movie is inspired by Irish medieval illustrations and this means it has a unique and visually striking feel.
Such elements may be why the movie received plenty of acclaim on its release. The Cartoon Saloon site details how it won a range of awards, while it also became the first animated feature to win the Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. It was also nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2010 Academy Awards, alongside the likes of Coraline, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Up. The latter ultimately took home the prize.
Comic-book adventures
Of course, if we are going to consider Irish themes and characters in different forms of media, it only seems right to examine how the concepts have had an impact on the world of superheroes. After all, stories about costumed crusaders are simply everywhere at the moment – in print, on TV with shows like The Boys, and on the big screen in a host of blockbuster epics.
Many characters in this domain have Irish elements to them and several sites have attempted to round up information on the key names to look out for. Back in 2017, Comicbook created a top-ten list on the issue and it discussed how the likes of Daredevil and Kyle Rayner have Irish roots. The site revealed that the latter took over from Hal Jordan as the Green Lantern and hinted at how Ireland shaped his story. In fact, he was apparently encouraged by his mother to even learn Gaelic.
Another hero flagged in the list is Banshee from X-Men, who is well known for his sonic mutant powers. The Marvel site explains that the character’s real name is Sean Cassidy and he hails from County Mayo. The biography also details how his family home is Cassidy Keep, a castle built by his ancestors to defend the Irish coast from the Vikings. Cassidy’s backstory also reveals how he studied at Trinity College in Dublin and received a Bachelor of Science degree.
Shaping culture
All in all, there is simply no denying that Ireland’s rich mythology and characters have shaped many different types of media through the years.
From online slots to animated movies and beyond, the imagery and iconography of the Emerald Isle can be found in a huge number of areas. In addition, the examples above highlight how concepts synonymous with the region have been brought to life in many ways.
It will be interesting to see how Irish themes are used in pop culture across the coming years, as well as whether any new approaches are taken in relation to the concept. They have truly enduring popularity and are likely to remain part of different forms of media for many years to come.
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