this practice was carried out in the locality during the field work in the 1950s (or in the revisit in 1970's). This basket's name skeeoge supposedly derived from the Gaelic word for "shield" (). The Irish Folklore Commission has accumulated a collection of crosses made on St. Bridget's Day (1 February), and various craft objects made of plaited straw, etc., gathered from across the county. Folklore can also include knowledge and skills such as , or to treat an illness, i.e., herb lore. Common themes There are certain stock motifs, often stereotypes, in Irish folklore. Fairies One commentator attributes to Andrew Lang the sweeping definition that Irish folklore is all about fairies. The belief in fairies (sidhe) has been widespread. Some, such as Irish poet W. B. Yeats, have divided the fairies into multiple categories and/or species (see Classifications of fairies). However, Irish fairies are typically divided into two main categories: the fairy race and the solitary fairies. The race of fairy people (Aos Sí) were thought to be descendants of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a godlike race who came to Ireland and conquered the people there. They are described as human sized, beautiful, powerful, and in tune with nature, similar to the modern day fantasy race of Elves. The solitary fairies are what they sound like—solitary. Instead of living together like the elite fairy race, solitary fairies are secretive and isolated, often staying away from humans and coming out at night. The solitary fairies include a wide range of magical creatures in Irish folklore. One type of Irish fairy is the female banshee, the death-messenger with her keening, or baleful crying over someone's death, and known by many different names. Another well-recognized Irish fairy is the leprechaun, which many have identified as the maker of shoes. The cluricaune is a sprite many treat as synonymous to the leprechaun, and Yeats muses on whether these and the far darrig (fear dearg, "red man") are the one and the same. Mackillop says these three are the three kinds solitary fairies, but Yeats goes on to say "there are other solitary fairies", naming the Dullahan (headless horsemen), Púca, and so forth. The changeling is often ascribed to being perpetrated by fairies. The theme is assigned its own migratory legend type, "The Changeling" (ML 5085). Fairy land Fairies are also connected with the Irish traditional belief in the Otherworld (An Saol Eile). Fairy