Ireland has by far the most extensive and diverse vernacular literature in medieval Europe

(KIM MCCONE – PAGAN PAST AND CHRISTIAN PRESENT).

Does Ireland and its Diaspora know its Myths?

Bard Mythologies have ran a Global Survey on Irish Myth (GSIM)

Click here to download an executive summary.

Why did we do this study?

We learn from scholars that Ireland has successfully preserved the richest store of myth and its associated tradition of any countrynorth of the Alps.

The country has received and developed, since its earliest inhabitants, some 9000 years ago, at least four major bodies of myth.

Of particular interest is to understand the knowledge of the earliest bodies of Myth. This is those of the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods. This is a period Harvard Scholar Marija Gimbutas calls “Old European”. When she visited in 1989 she commented:

Old European monuments stand here in all their majesty. In its legends and rituals, this country has preserved many elements which in other parts of Europe have vanished long ago. Much that stems from pre-Indo-European times …. is still very much alive in Ireland …. the ancient spirit of Ireland is closer to the Old European.

Bard Mythologies has worked with these mythologies and the public for 25 years. We wanted some empirical evidence from the Irish Diaspora:

• • The Degree of Knowledge of these Myths

• • What elements of the Mythology are familiar

• • How they acquired this knowledge

• • The Extent of the interest in knowing more about the myths

We, at Bard, could then suggested some implications especially in regard to the little known areas.

MAIN OUTCOMES

How we conducted the Research:

Who did we ask &what did we ask them?

Bard Mythologies carried on a global survey with the Qualtrics Company. Qualtrics are internationally renowned for their on-line software survey tools and the Global panels they are able to recruit.

Qualtrics recruited 275 respondents all of whom confirmed an Irish heritage or roots. The survey respondents were from four countries (Ireland,USA, UK and Australia).

The Survey involved 44 questions that were designed to gauge the level of interest, familiarity and understanding of the myths primarily through the Irish Mythological characters at the core of the key myths.

The survey was conducted in March April 2019. Results available and analyzed June/July 2019.  Report Summary shared September 1^st 2019.