Cats in Early Ireland

Did you know it was considered lucky for a black cat to cross your path? Cats were valued in early Ireland for the protection they provided against vermin and black cats were powerful symbols in Irish literature and legend. Christian tradition tended to malign cats and they eventually became associated with the devil, black cats being particularly mistreated. 

Unfortunately, while legend and folklore stressed the importance of maintaining a healthy respect for creatures thought to be a link between the human and the world of the sí, some would see cats, not as vulnerable creatures, but as malevolent spirits when things went wrong in the human sphere.

A video on the prominence of cats in early law and literature, extending to more recent folklore, is forthcoming.