The Celtic Twilight

The Celtic Twilight is a book by William Butler Yeats, first published in 1893, exploring the folklore, legends, and mystical beliefs of rural Ireland. In this collection of essays and sketches, Yeats records tales of fairies, ghostly encounters, visionary experiences, and old traditions passed down through generations. Drawing on conversations with peasants, storytellers, and seers in the west of Ireland, he blends observation with poetic imagination, creating a vivid portrait of a world where the natural and supernatural intermingle. More than a folklore anthology, the work reflects Yeats’s deep fascination with the unseen and his early involvement with the Celtic Revival—a movement dedicated to preserving and celebrating Irish culture. Its pages capture not only the charm of oral storytelling but also the spiritual hunger of an age caught between ancient myth and modern change. As a cornerstone of Yeats’s early career, this book illuminates the beliefs that shaped his later poetry and drama, offering readers a gateway into the enchanted landscape of Ireland at the turn of the twentieth century.