Yes, not only do we celebrate the Solstice and MidSummer in June, but the world at large has recognized June 24th as International Fairy Day!  

The tales of the Sídhe from Irish lore were rather different from those of other cultures within the Celtic world (e.g. the Bretons) and outside of it (e.g. Norse, German, Russian).

What many of us think of as fairies may have also been strongly influenced by the French medieval tales. These fairies are the bright and sparkling ones such as Tinkerbell and Shakespeare’s Titania (the Queen of the Fairies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream”)… not the fierce tricksters in Irish lore!

The British Victorians and Edwardians were rather obsessed with fairies, many claiming a strong belief in them  (including Arthur Conan Doyle) and many were delighted by the “real” photos of fairies such as the one’s below, known as the infamous Cottingley Fairies.

I suppose these are early examples of “photoshop”! But at the time, many were absolutely convinced of the photos’ authenticity.

On International Fairy Day, celebrate the fairies and the Sídhe in any way that resonates with you!