‘Irish Fairy Tales’ is a collection of stories originally edited by James Stephens, and accompanied by the illustrations of Arthur Rackham. It contains ‘The Story of Tuan Mac Cairill’, ‘The Boyhood of Fionn’, ‘The Birth of Bran’, ‘The Wooing of Becfola’, ‘Oisin’s Mother’, ‘The Little Brawl at Allen’, ‘The Carl of the Drab Coat’, and more. James Stephens (1880 – 1950), was an Irish novelist and poet, who produced many retellings of Irish myths and fairy tales. His retellings are marked by a rare combination of humour and lyricism, stemming from his own successful literary career.

The edition of ‘Irish Fairy Tales’ contains a series of dazzling colour and black-and-white illustrations – by a master of the craft; Arthur Rackham. One of the most celebrated painters of the British Golden Age of Illustration (which encompassed the years from 1850 until the start of the First World War), Rackham’s artistry is quite simply, unparalleled. Throughout his career, he developed a unique style, combining haunting humour with dream-like romance. Presented alongside the text, his illustrations further refine and elucidate James Stephen’s enchanting narratives.

Pook Press celebrates the great ‘Golden Age of Illustration‘ in children’s literature – a period of unparalleled excellence in book illustration. We publish rare and vintage Golden Age illustrated books, in high-quality colour editions, so that the masterful artwork and story-telling can continue to delight both young and old.