As the drizzle of the afternoon gave way to a cold northerly wind, the creature rolled over and drifted off into a deep, dreamless sleep. The Trooping Fairies might be gone, but he was still here. Still waiting. And he would wake again, one day.

The NEW Book of Secrets

By Caitriona donnelly

Banshee: The Banshee is a kind of fairy woman. Granny says that if you hear her wail, it means someone close to you has died. She’s terrifying (the Banshee, not Granny … although Granny can be scary too if you get on her bad side!), but she won’t harm you.

Changeling: When a fairy steals a human child, they sometimes leave a changeling behind. They’re usually old or sick fairies who have been enchanted to look like the human they’re replacing. Sometimes changelings are made from stumps of wood instead and those kinds are called ‘stocks’ (see entry on STOCK for more).

Clurichaun: The Clurichaun is a kind of solitary fairy, which means they like to live alone. They’re not evil, but they can be mischievous. They sometimes do favours for humans, like fixing broken shoes, but they will always want something in return. The Clurichaun Granny made friends with is OK, I suppose, as long as he has enough whiskey to keep him out of trouble.

Dullahan: The Dullahan is horrible. He’s a headless coachman who roams the roads of Ireland at night collecting the souls of humans. He has a whip with a handle made of bone and he carries his rotting head around. He doesn’t like anything made of gold … or when you kick his head like a football.

Fairies: There are loads of different types of fairies – some are basically OK, like the Clurichaun, while others are more malevolent, like the Pooka (see entry on POOKA for more). Some of the best-known fairies are the Sídhe who can usually be found hanging around raths or ringforts (see entries on RATH and SÍDHE for more).

Hag Stone: A hag stone is a stone with a hole in it. It’s really cool because it allows you to see through fairy magic and it can protect you from some creatures who want to harm you, like the Nocnica (see entry on NOCNICA for more)

Merrow: A merrow is kind of like a mermaid except way scarier. They live in the sea and usually like to keep to themselves. They won’t usually harm humans unless you wrong them. If that happens, you better watch out!

Nocnica: My friend Karol is from Poland and he says the Nocnica is a creature who comes into your room at night, sits on your chest and sucks your soul out of your mouth. They can be defeated by carrying a hag stone.

Pooka: The Pooka is another solitary fairy, but every so often, when he’s in the right mood, he likes to go into the world of humans and spread chaos. He can also take the form of different animals including horses and birds. You’ll know the Pooka by his glowing red eyes.