Tír na nÓg A Favourite
Irish Legend
Erika McGann Conor Busuttil
Tír na nÓg
A Favourite Irish Legend
Erika McGann Conor Busuttil
Erika McGann has written numerous children’s books, including the picture books Standing on One Leg is Hard (illustrated by Clive McFarland), Where Are You, Puffling? (illustrated by Gerry Daly), The Night-time Cat and the Plump, Grey Mouse (illustrated by Lauren O’Neill) and What is a Peachick? (illustrated by Clive McFarland).
Conor Busuttil is a children’s picture-book illustrator originally from a small rural village in County Down, now living in the Welsh valleys. He is the author and illustrator of Billy Conker’s Nature-Spotting Adventure, and has illustrated The Children of Lir: Ireland’s Favourite Legend (by Laura Ruth Maher) and Ulster Legends (by Nicola and Peter Heaney), both published by The O’Brien Press.
For Mary-Lou, for the lockdown chats that kept all my books going. EMcG
To Mum, and all our magical memories together. CB
First published 2025 by The O’Brien Press Ltd, 12 Terenure Road East, Rathgar, Dublin 6, D06 HD27, Ireland
Tel: +353 1 4923333; E-mail: books@obrien.ie; Website: www.obrien.ie
The O’Brien Press is a member of Publishing Ireland.
Copyright for text © Erika McGann 2025.
Copyright for illustration © Conor Busuttil 2025.
The moral rights of the author & illustrator have been asserted
Copyright for layout, editing and design © The O’Brien Press Ltd Book and cover design Emma Byrne
ISBN: 978-1-178849-515-8
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The O’Brien Press received financial assistance from the Arts Council to publish this title
Niamh lived in the magical land of Tír na nÓg.
It was a wonderful place. Every day was filled with music and laughter, and every night there was a delicious feast.
Niamh loved her home of Tír na nÓg. She watched the people of the human world, and she felt sorry for them. Every night the people were tired. Sometimes they felt sick. And each day they grew older.
In Tír na nÓg nobody ever grew old. And nobody ever, ever got sick. Everyone stayed young and healthy. And each beautiful day was exactly the same as the one before.
One day, as Niamh was watching the human world, she noticed a young man named Oisín. Oisín was fun and lively, and he was kind to everyone.
How sad, thought Niamh, that one of these days he too will grow old and die.
In Tír na nÓg Oisín would stay young. In Tír na nÓg he would stay healthy. So Niamh made a plan.
She climbed on the back of her great white horse, and they galloped across the fields. With the wind in Niamh’s hair, they rode faster and faster. Then with one great jump the white horse leapt from Tír na nÓg into the human world.
The people were startled at the sight of Niamh on her magical, great white horse.‘Who are you?’ gasped Oisín.
‘I am Niamh of Tír na nÓg,’ said Niamh. ‘And if you like, Oisín, I will take you there. And then you will live forever.’
Oisín had always wanted to see the magical land of Tír na nÓg. So he hugged his friends and said goodbye, and Niamh lifted him onto her great white horse.
Niamh held tight to the reins, and Oisín held tight to Niamh. They galloped across the fields until –whoosh – the white horse leapt back into Tír na nÓg.
‘How beautiful!’ cried Oisín. ‘This land is perfect in every way.’ Niamh smiled because she knew it was true.
Niamh was funny and playful and smart.
She made Oisín laugh and laugh.
Oisín was lively and silly and kind, and he told Niamh so many stories.