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AURORA - Running With The Wolves (lyrics and soundtrack) - featured in Wolfwalkers)

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AURORA - Running With The Wolves (lyrics and soundtrack) - featured in Wolfwalkers)

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AURORA - Running With The Wolves (lyrics and soundtrack) - featured in Wolfwalkers)

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AURORA - Running With The Wolves (Lyrics) (featured in Wolfwalkers)

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Wolfwalkers and Irish Mythology: The Lycanthropic Lore Behind the Oscar-Nominated Animated Feature - IrishMyths

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WolfWalkers and Irish Mythology: The Lycanthropic Lore Behind the Oscar-Nominated Animated Feature - IrishMyths

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Werewolves are a staple of Irish folklore. Learn how a Kilkenny-based cartoon studio brought them to life in the gorgeous film WolfWalkers.

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Wolfwalkers: A Trip to Kilkenny’s Magical Past

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Wolfwalkers: A Trip to Kilkenny’s Magical Past

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Wolfwalkers: A Trip to Kilkenny’s Magical Past

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‘Wolfwalkers’: A Trip to Kilkenny’s Magical Past

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***This article originally appeared in the December ’20 issue of Animation Magazine (No. 305)*** In another example of how inspiring animated projects can li

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Howling Against the Moon: The Last Wolves of Ireland

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Howling Against the Moon: The Last Wolves of Ireland

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The man followed the tracks through the snow. His hound sniffed eagerly, almost pulling the leash from the man's grasp. The wolf was not far ahead of them. Through a break in the clouds a full moon appeared momentarily. The man shivered and shook his shoulder, allowing the strap of his gun to come loose. He released the hound and raised the barrel pointing it towards the furthest trees. From the darkness of the woods came a terrible howl. Was that my dog or the wolf, the man wondered, slowly stepping into the shadow of the forest .
Although we can't be certain, records show that the last wolf in Ireland was killed by a farmer, John Watson, and his wolfhound on Mount Leinster in County Carlow. Surprisingly, this took place in the year 1786, almost five hundred years after the last English wolf and over one hundred years since the last wolf was shot in Scotland.

Ancient Wolfland

For people today it can be a surprise to learn that wolves were so prominent in Ireland up until so recently. Yet Ireland has a long relationship with wolves, with these creatures having been there since at least 34,000 BC, according to the latest carbon dating on remains.

When the last ice age ended, Ireland's landscape was the perfect environment for wolves to thrive. There were mountains and forests and regions of tundra to roam, and which provided a wide variety of animals for the wolves to prey upon such as deer, wild boar and, for a time, the Giant Elk.

It is estimated that the first people arrived in Ireland around 8000 BC, although there is more recent evidence of a possible settlement dating back another 5,000 years. For these people the wolves must have been a constant danger as well as competitor for food.

Indeed, up until the middle ages Ireland was often referred to as Wolfland because of how many wolves there were. This would also be part of the reason for the many barricaded ring forts which acted as a defence against the wolves who would roam the country in large packs.

Ireland's wolves were so well known in the middle ages that even William Shakespeare, in his play As You Like It , had a character remark, " Pray you, no more of this; 'Tis like the howling of Irish wolves against the moon. "

In Brehon Law, Ireland's early law system, a landowner or livestock keeper was required to keep wolfhounds, such was the threat of wolves.

Legendary Wolf Tales

Having such a presence ensured that Irish myth and folklore often referred to wolves and sometimes to a more supernatural incarnation, the werewolf.

Ireland's most famous legendary High King, Cormac Mac Airt, was said to have been raised by wolves. Cormac's mother was also supposedly of the line of Ocl, which is the reflex of the Indo-European word for 'wolf'.

In one of Ireland's most famous mythological texts, The Tain Bo Cuailnge , The Morrigan, Ireland's dark Goddess, turns into a wolf in order to stampede cattle.

In Lady Speranza Wilde's collection of folk tales, Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland , a farmer discovers that a young wolf he once rescued belongs to a family of werewolves living in a nearby forest.

There are also the stories of the legendary Laignach Faelad, who were supposedly a tribe of warriors who were half-man and half-wolf. They are mentioned in the Medieval Irish text the Cóir Anmann . These were mercenary fighters who would take the side of any king willing to pay their price. Approaching them to ask for their help was dangerous enough, but the price they demanded was even more terrifying. According to legend, these wolf warriors would only fight if they were being paid with the flesh of new-born babies!

In George Henderson's Survival in Belief among the Celts, in the chapter: Soul in Wolf-form , he writes,

"The existence of this belief in animal parentage is seen from the Leabhar Breathnach. Here we read: 'The descendants of the wolf are in Ossory (síl in Faelchon in-Osraigib). There are certain people in Eri, viz. the race of Laighne Faelaidh, in Ossory; they pass into the form of wolves whenever they please, and kill cattle according to the custom of wolves, and they quit their own bodies; when they go forth in the wolf-forms they charge their friends not to remove their bodies, for if they are moved they will not be able to come again into them."

He goes on to write that in a particular legend of these people, the Ossarians, a man and woman would transform into wolves every seven years. Henderson links this to an account by Caesar of the Celtic god Dis Pater , who was represented wearing a wolf-skin. The same chapter states, " The wolf skin leads to the presumption that the god was originally a wolf, roving and ravaging during the night time."

So, if Ireland once had so many wolves, what happened? Where did they go?

The Beginning of the End
Staigue Fort Ring Fort, 3rd or 4th Century, Ireland. Such forts were used to protect from invaders and wolves. (Amanderson2/ )
Although there had been previous culls, it was only after Cromwell's conquest of Ireland that wolves were finally seen as a threat that had to be eliminated, once and for all. More forests were being cut down, more land was being farmed, and fields were filling with livestock. All of these factors brought man and wolf into contact more and more. A pack of wolves can travel up to 30 miles (48 kilometers) in a day and so with their territory shrinking as Ireland's population expanded, the danger of encounters grew more inevitable.

In 1653, a bounty was placed upon the wolves which was particularly attractive to hunters; five pounds was offered for a male, and six pounds offered for a female. This was the beginning of the end for the Irish wolf. Over the next century they were hunted from their previous habitats. Oak forests were cut down and people began to settle in areas which previously had been wild and safe territory for wolf packs.

Finally, and after almost 150 years of this persecution, wolves were finally wiped out in Ireland. Although the last reported killing of a wolf was in Carlow in 1786, this is not to say that another wolf, perhaps a small pack, did not live on for a few more years in a more remote part of Ireland, perhaps dying on their own terms on a mountain overlooking the land where their ancestors had roamed and hunted for over 30,000 years.

The Future of Wolves in Ireland

Today, Ireland is a country with a huge agriculture industry, where livestock can be found everywhere, from fields close to suburban areas, to wild and inhospitable mountains. Every now and again there is a call for wolves to be reintroduced but how realistic can this be? And how fair is it to the wolves?

Wolves are not the evil killing machines that we often perceive them to be. For all of our legends and fairy tales, it is telling that there is a scarcity of reports of Irish people being killed by wolves in history books and accounts. Although opportunistic, wolves do not actively seek to engage with humans. However, the damage to livestock would present huge problems. As well as this, there is not enough wild territory left in Ireland to accommodate a successful wolf pack.

And yet even today, many Irish people feel an unexplainable affinity to the wolf. This is not just about acknowledgement and respect, but something more; something inherent and in the Irish blood. This animal existed and hunted in Ireland for generations. Perhaps it is an ancient genetic memory of the time when the sight of a pack moving through a forest would sing a primal song in the hearts of ancestors, or maybe it is the guilt of knowing that something primal and connected to the soul of this country has been lost.

Whatever it may be, Irish people, even today, feel a strong bond with the totemic animals that once roamed the mountains and forests of Ireland and which gave the country its ancient name: Wolfland.

By David Halpin

References

Hickey, Kieran 2003, 'Wolf-forgotten Irish hunter' . Nature Ireland, May-June 2003, pp 10-13

Driscoll, K. The Early Prehistory in the West of Ireland: Investigations into the Social Archaeology of the Mesolithic, West of the Shannon, Ireland. (2006)

William Shakespeare. As You Like It: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare P 637

Ogham in 3D, 2015. Ogham.Celt.Dias.ie [Online] Available at: https://ogham.celt.dias.ie/stone.php?lang=en&county=Cork&stone=100._Ballyhank_IV&stoneinfo=description

Lady Francesca Speranza Wilde, 1187. Ancient Legends, Mystic Charms, and Superstitions of Ireland . [Online] Available at: http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/ali/ali005.htm

George Henderson, 1911. Survival in Belief among the Celts, the Chapter: Soul in Wolf-form P.172

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Howling Against the Moon: The Last Wolves of Ireland

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The man followed the tracks through the snow. His hound sniffed eagerly, almost pulling the leash from the man's grasp. The wolf was not far ahead of them. Through a break in the clouds a full moon appeared momentarily. The man shivered and shook his shoulder, allowing the strap of his gun to come loose.

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Environmentalism and Empathy: The Making of Wolfwalkers

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Environmentalism and Empathy: The Making of Wolfwalkers

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Environmentalism and Empathy: The Making of Wolfwalkers

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In the last iteration of Cartoon Saloon’s folkloric trilogy, director Tomm Moore used VR-assisted “Wolf Vision,” a signature animation style and Irish mythology

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Wolfwalkers with Will Collins [Podcast episode]

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Wolfwalkers with Will Collins [Podcast episode]

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Wolfwalkers with Will Collins [Podcast episode]

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Episode · Script Apart · Next up in our awards season mini-series is an insight into the creation of one of the most enchanting animations in recent memory. Wolfwalkers is the latest gorgeously-drawn and beautifully-told adventure from Irish studio Cartoon Saloon. It follows a young named Robyn, living in 17th century Kilkenny. One day while exploring forbidden woodland, she meets Mebh: a free-spirited girl by day with the ability to transform into a wolf. The pair join forces to search for Mebh’s missing mother, uncovering secrets along the way that park a tense standoff between the townsfolk, Robyn’s father, the sinister Lord Protector and Mebh’s tribe of wolves. Inspired by Irish folklore, screenwriter Will Collins wrote the film based on a story by the film’s directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart. On the surface it’s a children’s fairytale, full of adorable animal sidekicks and flourishing forests where there’s adventure to be had and magic at every turn. Look deeper into this densely layered drama, however, and you’ll also find environmental worry, coming-of-age excitement, exploration of society’s fear of the “other” and empowering messages about choosing your own path in life. Wolfwalkers almost was a very different movie. As Will reveals in this episode, the film’s creative team originally flirted with a much darker story, in which Mebh’s mother is discovered dead and Robyn is shot by her own father. We get into all of those abandoned plot threads in this episode, as well as the real-life historical darkness underpinning this magical tale.As you may have already guessed, this is a spoiler-filled discussion, so we highly recommend watching Wolfwalkers before listening. Support for this episode comes from Arc Studio – the beautifully-designed screenwriting programme whose intuitive interface and host of innovative features helps you get the most out of your writing time – and Coverfly, who curate the best screenwriting talent-discovery programs into one place and connect emerging screenwriters with industry professionals who can bring their ideas to screen.Script Apart is a podcast about the first-draft secrets behind great movies. Each episode, the screenwriter behind a beloved film shares with us their initial screenplay for that movie. We then talk through what changed, what didn’t and why on its journey to the big screen. All proceeds go to Black Minds Matter UK, the NHS Charities Covid-19 Appeal and the Film and TV Charity.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek, with music from Stefan Bindley-Taylor. You can follow Script Apart on Twitter and Instagram. You can also email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.Support the show

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Behind the scenes of the beautiful, hand-animated Wolfwalkers . . . 

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Behind the scenes of the beautiful, hand-animated Wolfwalkers . . . 

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Behind the scenes of the beautiful, hand-animated “Wolfwalkers”

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Meet the team behind Cartoon Saloon’s “Wolfwalkers” to discover the heart of this enchanting Oscar nominee.

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20 Types of Wolves: Wolf Species, Facts and Photos

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20 Types of Wolves: Wolf Species, Facts and Photos

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20 Types of Wolves: Wolf Species, Facts and Photos

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The types of wolves existing worldwide represent an impressive spectrum of diversity, from the gray wolves of North America to the Ethiopian wolf of Africa. Learn about the distinct habitats, characteristics, and ways of life of the species and subspecies of these canines.

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What would a truly wild Ireland look like?

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What would a truly wild Ireland look like?

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What would a truly wild Ireland look like?

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Ireland was once a wilderness of temperate rainforest and pristine bogs, where large carnivores and other beasts roamed. What would it take to restore Ireland to a wilder state?

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By Pauline Murphy Wolves roamed freely around Ireland for many centuries but today the only wolves to be seen here are the ones safely confined in zoos and wildlife parks. The wolf population was a vibrant one in Ireland up until the early seventeenth century and the country even gained a nickname ‘Wolfland’. Prior to […]

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Do you know why wolves howl? Do you know where they live in the world? In this article, we’ll discuss these wolf key facts and more.

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Wolfwalkers & Kila in Concert - St. Patrick's Festival, Kilkenny

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Wolfwalkers & Kila in Concert - St. Patrick's Festival, Kilkenny

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WOLFWALKERS & KÍLA IN CONCERT | ST. PATRICK'S FESTIVAL KILKENNY

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RTÉ - IRELAND’S NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA

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Talk Series: WolfWalkers Exhibition - Butler Gallery

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Talk Series: WolfWalkers Exhibition - Butler Gallery

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Talk Series: WolfWalkers - Wolves in Ireland

A chance to discover more about the stars of the film WolfWalkers! This discussion explores the history of wolves in Ireland and the rich folklore connected to this primeval animal. Creative Directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart are joined in discussion with Dr Kieran Hickey, Department of Geography, UCC and author of the book Wolves in Ireland; A Natural and Cultural History.
View recording.

Talk Series: WolfWalkers - The Soundscapes of WolfWalkers

Music, voice and background sounds are all key creative elements in the success of film. This special panel discussion brings together Kíla band members and the sound experts that worked on the soundtrack to explain and demonstrate how specially composed soundscapes contributes to the experience of WolfWalkers.
View recording.

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Talk Series: WolfWalkers, The Exhibition - Butler Gallery

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A chance to discover more about the stars of the film WolfWalkers! This discussion explores the history of wolves in Ireland and the rich folklore connected to this primeval animal. Creative Directors Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart are joined in discussion with Dr Kieran Hickey, Department of Geography, UCC and author of the book Wolves in Ireland; A Natural and Cultural History.

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WEREWOLVES In Ireland are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than the REST of the World

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How to Draw WolfWalkers Mebh and Robyn Plus Filmmakers Interview

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Make a Mask with Cooper for Wolfwalkers!

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Animations Tutorials 

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Animations Tutorials 

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Animations Tutorials 

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Learn Animation Tutorials

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Wolfwalkers - Overview of Jo Blo Animations channel

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Wolfwalkers - Overview of Jo Blo Animations channel

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Jo Blo Animations channel

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Wolfwalkers - Overview of Cartoon Saloon Channel

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Wolfwalkers - Overview of Cartoon Saloon Channel

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Wolfwalkers on YouTube - Cartoon Saloon channel

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Wolfwalkers Activity Sheets - Cartoon Saloon

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Wolfwalkers Activity Pack - The Ark Dublin

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Wolfwalkers Activity Pack by The Ark Dublin

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How to Make Easy Origami Wolf - A Step-by-Step Tutorial

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How to Make Easy Origami Wolf - A Step by Step Tutorial

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Map of Rossmore Forest Park, Co. Monaghan

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Map of Rossmore Forest Park, Co. Monaghan

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PE in the Forest: Group activities . . . in the woods

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PE in the Forest: Group activities . . . in the woods

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Does your school have a nearby wooded area or forest? Use this space as an outdoor classroom to build fundamental movement skills.

Stay safe by setting clear expectations. It's important to identify boundaries before entering the forestto ensure that all students understand the area that they must stay in.

Here are some ideas for physically active games in a forest or wooded area.

Follow the Leader

Choose a leader to lead classmates through an exciting walk through the forest. Encourage the leader to include certain elements such as:

Encourage each new leader to travel to a different place in the forest where they can show off their skills.

If the kids need help to vary their movements, use prompts like, "Can you add in some balance poses?" "Try it with the other leg," or, "Can you leap over the ditch?"

Log jumping

The forest or wooded area offers lots of rocks, roots, and stumps to jump on (and from!).

Review proper jumping and landing techniques with students and head to the forest to practise these skills.

You can prepare for or extend this activity with one of our jumping lesson plans for 5-8-year-old [PDF] students or for 8-12-year-old [PDF] students.
Related read: Finding physical literacy in the forest through outdoor schools
Shinrin-Yoku

Nature is also the perfect place to ease anxiety. Tap into this source of calm and relaxation by introducing your students to Shinrin-Yoku, a Japanese term that means "forest bathing."

By introducing the Japanese name, instead of just telling students that you're going outside, you will pique students' curiosity and give the activity a fresh direction and purpose.

You can start with this narrated story appropriate for 6- to 12-year-old students to introduce kids to the concept of Shinrin-Yoku.

Quite simply, there are two goals to this exercise: walk slowly through the forest and breathe deeply.

1. Go slow to notice all the little things around you: what can you smell, hear, and see?

2. Practice deep belly breathing. Find a spot where you can sit and breathe for a few moments.

3. Every once in a while, stop, sit, look up, feel the earth or the trees around you.

4. Observe. Can you smell the forest air? Are there patterns on the leaves? Is there light coming through the canopy?

Shinrin-Yoku can become a healthy, relaxing routine for your class to get a much-needed brain and movement break in the day.
Related read: Using mindfulness, music, and movement to develop physical literacy in kids
Scavenger hunt race

Print our ninja scavenger hunt checklist [PDF], establish appropriate safety boundaries, set a timer, and let kids loose in a race to check off all the items on the list before the time's up!

Another fun list to print is Doing Good Together's Nature Scavenger Hunt [PDF], or try this Nature Bingo printable [PDF] to hand out to groups or individuals. For older kids, this Nature Shapes & Patterns Scavenger Hunt may keep them busy and can provide an extra challenge.

Or you can create your own original version. Check out some of these great scavenger hunt ideas for inspiration.

You can also integrate art activities, inspire a nature collage with leaves and twigs, or bring a magnifying glass outside and explore underneath stumps and rocks.

More forest games

Play a forest game that allows students to connect to nature, such as Rainbow Walk, where one student chooses a colour and challenges the other children to find it in the forest. The first to see it picks the next colour.

For a more fast-paced game, play capture the flags. Give each team five or 10 "flags" (these can be any recognizable markers you have on hand in the classroom such as jump ropes, soft cones-even whiteboard markers!). Students then hide their flags within set boundaries for each opposing team to find.

At the start of the game, the opposing teams can send over a spy who can roam the other team's space (but can't take the markers). But spies can get tagged and sent to an identified "jail" area, such as a tree stump or large rock.

A second whistle signals the start of the second part of the game where all players can enter each other's turf and collect flags, all while trying not to get caught!

Prisoners can also be freed by being tagged by one of their teammates. But they must return to their own area before trying to cross the boundary again.

Further reading
Marta Orellana teaches upper intermediate grades in a North Vancouver elementary school, where PE is generally taught by classroom teachers rather than PE specialist teachers.

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PE in the forest: Group activities to develop movement skills in the woods

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Does your school have a nearby wooded area or forest? Use this space as an outdoor classroom to build fundamental movement skills. Stay safe by setting clear expectations. It's important to identify boundaries before entering the forestto ensure that all students understand the area that they must stay in.

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Into The Forest - Relaxation Audio Recording 

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Into The Forest - Relaxation Audio Recording 

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Wolfwalkers Sketchbook by Cartoon Saloon

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Wolfwalkers Sketchbook by Cartoon Saloon

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Wolfwalkers Sketchbook by Cartoon Saloon

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To celebrate the arrival of Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers exhibition to The Ark in summer 2023, we are excited to share these video tutorials from Cartoon Sal…

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Wolfwalkers Videos on YouTube [Jo Blo Animations]

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Wolfwalkers Videos on YouTube [Jo Blo Animations]

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

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Wolfwalkers Videos on YouTube [Cartoon Saloon]

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Wolfwalkers Videos on YouTube [Cartoon Saloon]

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Share your videos with friends, family, and the world