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Photos by Ron Burkett.
Local writer and Ireland native Marie Pridgen draws from Irish fairy folklore told to her as a child as inspiration for her first children’s fairytale.
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Photos by Ron Burkett.
Marie Pridgen’s new children’s book, “Morag and the Land of Tir Na Nog,” introduces readers, youngand old, to a fantasy world where “there is no death, but happiness and life.” Pridgen wants to remindchildren that no matter what is going on in the world, “there is a safe place for them.”
If you ask an Irishman or woman if they believe in fairies, you may get a mixture of answers, but those who know the legendary story of Tír na nÓg will share that fairies do exist and that they play a major part of Irish folklore. Tír na nÓg, also known as ‘The Land of Eternal Youth,’ is a magical paradise with no sickness or death, no concept of time, and filled with sunshine, happiness and beauty.
According to local writer and Ireland native Marie Pridgen, for hundreds of years the Irish held strong beliefs that fairies were everywhere.
“Believe it or not, the people do believe in fairies,” Pridgen said. “And we very much respect them.”
Pridgen, born in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, said her grandmother and mother both shared with her as a child the Irish fairy folklore, giving her inspiration for her first children’s fairytale.
“This book was actually inspired by my grandmother and mother,” Pridgen said. “My grandmother had passed before I was born, but she passed along stories to my mom who then shared them with my siblings and me about the wee people we call fairies. My childhood was filled with magic and imagination. We would even go on fairy hunts together.”
These stories, Pridgen said, are not only a part of her culture and folklore, but also sparked her curiosity for fairies.
“I researched my culture, the Land of Tír na nÓg, and what it was really about,” Pridgen said. “I’ve wanted to share these stories from my grandmother, mother and some of my own stories with other children,” which gave her the idea to write a children’s fairytale.
“Sharing something that you love and believe in, especially to children, is a blessing,” Pridgen said. “In this day and age, there are so many things that children are involved with that we sometimes forget that they still are children and that they need to escape some place, especially those who are sick.
“When writing this book, titled ‘Morag and the land of Tir Na Nog,’ I was thinking of children who were ill,” Pridgen continued. “I wanted to create a place for them to escape. A happy place where there was no sickness, everyone lived forever and was sunshine every day.”
The fairytale, illustrated by Tina Cargile, was completed in one afternoon, Pridgen said.
“Tina and I started working on the illustrations for this book three years ago,” Pridgen said. “I am very grateful for Tina because her drawings really brought that book together for me and brought it to life.
“I think timing is everything.” Pridgen continued. “This past February, I sat down to write and completed the story in one afternoon. My husband, Jerry, travels often, and an opportunity opened up for me to just sit down put this story onto paper. I would stop and hear Morag, the curious fairy and main character, in my head. I would hear the animals talking to her, and I would vision where she was at that point in the story. It was if it was already prewritten.
“I knew that Morag would have to come from the land of Tír na nÓg because fairies are eternal,” Pridgen added. “So, thinking of the sick children, I wanted them to escape in their imagination to Tír na nÓg. No matter what is going on in their lives, I wanted to remind them that there is a safe place for them. In Tír na nÓg, there is no death, but happiness and life.”
Pridgen said sharing these stories with children who are sick is a blessing not only to encourage them, but because she, too, is sick. Several years ago, Pridgen was diagnosed with stage four kidney failure.
“I feel so blessed to have had a childhood, my youth, and my daughter and grandchildren,” Pridgen said. “I see these children who may not have tomorrow, and it just breaks my heart. They are going through all of the sickness at the hospital, and they are losing their childhood. I want them to have a place to escape.
“I wanted an escape for children as well as adults,” Pridgen continued. “I know it is a fairytale, but adults can transport somewhere else and experience the magic and forget about their troubles for a while. These stories helped me enter a place where there was no trouble. For me, I felt like there was a sense of urgency in writing this book.”
There is a lesson in the story for young readers, but also a special message the author wants to convey to readers, young and old.
“When someone reads this book, I would just love for them to transport to another world and be able to leave all their worries behind,” Pridgen said. “Maybe even learn to love to read again and take time for yourself.”
“Morag and the land of Tir Na Nog” is available for purchase for $10 on Amazon.
