Delighted to share the slides from my recent talk at UCC on a research day about Psychedelics and Irish Mythology. Titled Echoes of the Otherworld- Amanita Muscaria in Myth and Mystery
Should you like to listen to me reading some of the text from the talk (not shared above), you can see that at this link: (please do excuse my stutter at times!)
Courtney Tyler invites you to explore the elusive place of the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) in Irish cultural memory and its quiet revival today. This talk weaves together threads of myth and nature, exploring the symbolic role of the Fly Agaric in Irish mythology and its deep connections to transformation, shapeshifting, altered states of consciousness, and journeys to the Otherworld.
It considers how these fungi may have influenced spiritual and storytelling traditions while also reflecting on their modern use for nervous system support and personal healing. The discussion nods to another indigenous fungus, the Liberty Cap, highlighting how both mushrooms, in their mystery and abundance, inspire a deeper connection to the land and its stories.
Join Courtney as she weaves myth, ecology, and imagination to explore the evocative presence of these fungi in Ireland’s ecological and cultural heritage.
For more about Courtney’s work, visit www.hipsandhaws.com, follow her on Instagram at @hipsandhawswildcrafts, or email her at hello@hipsandhaws.com
Please note most photography is my own however there is a stunning liberty cap photo included that is credited to Lukas Ja of Magical Fungi other notable photography credits go to Annie Holland, Selena O’Meara, Elizabeth Keaney
If you would like to read more about potential links, references, art, mythology, Irish Celtic links and folklore – check out: Peter McCoy of Radical Mycology, Kevin Feeney of “Fly Agaric: A Compendium of History, Pharmacology, Mythology, and Exploration” and his chapters that share Peter’s research into Brigid and Fly Agaric and Chapter 11 called Speckled Snake, Brother of Birch by Laurie and White. Ash Ritter of Black Sage Botanicals, and also of course, Amanita Dreamer.
Recipe for the external pain relief recipe was taught to me by Henriette Kress of Henriette’s Herbal. Highly recommend you follow and support the work of this incredible herbalist.