This book is a study of the rich and fascinating traditions found in early Irish literature concerning smiths and the fashioning of metal. The smith had a special status within the traditional societies of early Ireland and elsewhere in the Celtic-speaking world. The figure is associated with magic and the supernatural, as well as having special legal status, and a marginal and ambiguous position within the community.

John Carey is an internationally known expert on Old Irish language and literature and includes here texts and translations of magical spells, incantations, and narratives connected with smiths and their craft.