The Irish in Stories is a new interactive iBook just released in the last couple of days. It is a 60 page book for the iPad which opens in the iBooks application. It aims to bring to readers the rich and varied history and mythology of ancient Ireland. It is full of beautiful illustrations, interactive maps and timelines and stories on audiocast. In this iBook you can hear and read stories about The Children of Lir, Setanta, Cuchulainn, Tuatha De Danann, Lugh and the Second Battle of Moytura, Deirdre of the Sorrows, Finn and the Salmon of KNowledge, Oisín and Tír na nÓg amongst others. In the iBook you’ll be able to:

• Relive Irish tales
• Learn about Irish history
• Explore the ancient map of Ireland and interactive timeline
• Discover the Celtic Wheel of the Year
• Learn about the fierce warriors – The Red Branch Knights
• Uncover Irish Gods and Heroes
• Take interactive challenges

This iBook is a great source for ancient Irish history and mythology. It would look great connected to an IWB in the classroom and would certainly appeal to children. The one thing that struck me about the book was the font used – I can imagine some pupils having difficulty reading it. The font appears to be a kind of ancient Irish script which looks like it is all capitalised. It also has the ancient Irish Ds and Ts which pupils may not understand. Despite this drawback for me, it is still an iBook worth having.

This book can be downloaded from The Irish in Stories website and from the iTunes store. The book is free to download at the moment. There is also an associated free iPad app to go with the book called Red Branch Trials. In this game you have to complete the Spear Slice Challenge in tribute to the great sun god in order to join the infamous Red Branch.