3.5 stars rounded up

I think this was a really solid collection of folktales from Ireland. Each writer had a clear and distinct writing style. I think that Tale of the Piper was my favorite story but Modern Horrors was my favorite section overall. The grouping for the stories was cohesive and there wasn’t any story that didn't fit the overall collection.

A great collection of Irish folklore stories split into subsections that the stories are based on.
As an Irish person myself, I can say it was incredible to read from many different perspectives and time periods from early 1800 to the early 1900s. Great to read about and visualise the landscapes of what Ireland would have been like back then.
Loved reading this and also learning about the different writers featured, especially Oscar Wilde's mother's story it was incredibly written and o easy to read.

thank you to netgalley, trafalger square publishing and editor, mia gianiki for this arc epub of this book, coming out soon, july 15, 2025. my reviews as with all my arcs are my own feelings and experiences regardless.

this book was a delightful dive into the unique, quirky and at times with an essence of otherworldly flair of irish mythos and folklore. i enjoyed the multi story format which all lead to a unique and fun read.

Thank you Netgalley for the early copy!! A solid mix of Irish folklore. All were new to me and there was a great shuffle. Just like any short story collection some were better than others but it was edited well.

This is a wonderful book for lovers of Irish myth and mystery highlighting the varied and rich history of Irish story telling and legends, ghost stories and weird tales. My favorite was "The Monks of Saint Bride" which tells the story of Michael Bresnahan, who wanted nothing more than for his wife to stop finding fault with everything that he did. Michael finds himself seeking a solution on All Soul's Night at midnight in the haunted St. Bride abbey, In abject terror he witnesses the ghosts of dead religious Brothers say prayers for the the soul of the dead Lord of the castle from across the valley who was accused of murdering his wife and his brother; a task they must repeat each year for all eternity unless the curse binding them is lifted. The author of "The Monks of Saint Bride" weaves a delightfully scary tale in a style written as it would have been spoken by the locals.

There are many interesting stories contained within "Uncanny Ireland", some of which may be familiar to readers but others are likely less well known and are well worth discovering within these pages.

This book is a fascinating compilation of Irish folktales and traditional folklore.
If you have any interest in Irish folklore and history this is a great read. It consists of many different shorter stories and anecdotes so there’s no need to read it in order necessarily and it’s easy to pick up.
The book is rich with history and well written stories by great writers and storytellers throughout time, who are introduced briefly before you read their writing.
I love fantasy and love reading about the origins a roots of so many folklore-based novels we read today.

**First Person ARC Review: *Uncanny Ireland* by Maria Giakaniki**

*Uncanny Ireland* is a strange, haunting, and utterly mesmerizing journey into the eerie heart of Irish folklore, myth, and the deeply atmospheric spaces where reality and the supernatural blur. From the very first story, I felt like I had stepped into a misty in-between world—one where the land itself hums with secrets and every quiet moment might conceal something otherworldly.

Maria Giakaniki doesn’t just retell eerie tales—she revives them. The stories in this collection are laced with that uniquely Irish sense of place: wild coastlines, shadowy woods, crumbling ruins. But what truly struck me was how each tale carried a weight that felt emotional as much as spectral. These aren’t just ghost stories—they're meditations on grief, longing, isolation, and belief.

The writing is hypnotic, elegant without ever feeling overwrought, and filled with little unsettling details that linger long after you put the book down. There were times I felt genuinely spooked, not because something jumped out, but because the atmosphere seeped into me slowly and refused to let go.

*Uncanny Ireland* isn’t loud horror—it’s the whisper behind you, the chill in the air, the feeling that something ancient is watching just beyond the veil. It’s a gorgeous, haunting read, perfect for anyone who wants their folklore tinged with melancholy, mystery, and just the right amount of dread.