Tra rispetto per la natura e fairy faith: i racconti (ever)green di Eddie Lenihan

Abstract

The bond between fairies and nature is as old as the world. Based on this assumption, this study aims to reflect on the relationship between fairy faith and respect for nature through the work of the Irish storyteller and activist Eddie Lenihan. After a brief introduction to the art of storytelling in the Emerald Isle, the first part of the article will revolve around the seanchaí and his commitment to preserving the Irish cultural heritage. The second part will then centre on Meeting the Other Crowd: The Fairy Stories of Hidden Ireland (2003), an anthology of what I call “(ever)green” stories collected by Lenihan since the 1970s in southwest Ireland. Specifically, I will focus on some fairy tales emblematic of the close connection between the natural world and the Good People of Éire, in particular on stories that function as a warning to those who intend to interfere with nature in order to pursue their interests often in the name of a supposed technological progress.