The lore the merrier...

Magic, fantasy and Celtic mythology are yours to adore this Christmas with the release of a trilogy of stunningly beautiful Irish animated films.

From Ireland’s five-time Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Emmy nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon, comes the Irish Folklore Trilogy boxset.

The limited edition set includes ‘The Secret of Kells', ‘Song of The Sea’, and ‘Wolfwalkers’, all of which have been nominated for Academy Awards.

The studio’s first film, ‘The Secret of Kells’, is a beautifully rendered tale of a master illuminator and his young apprentice, followed by the breathtakingly gorgeous ‘Song of the Sea’, the adventure of a mythical seal-child and her brother on a quest to save the spirit world.

The third film, ‘Wolfwalkers', is a spellbinding adventure which follows a young huntress and her friendship with a free-spirited wolf-girl.

These culturally rich films celebrate the Irish heritage of the Kilkenny-based Cartoon Saloon filmmakers by looking at history through the lens of folklore, with all three features available in both the English and Gaelic language.

The handcrafted animation and painstaking attention to detail are what makes these films so beloved by fans.

The boxset also includes animatics and bonus features for the three films never released before. It is presented in a beautiful rigid slipcase with art that includes an original illustration by Cartoon Saloon that perfectly reflects each film.

It also included is a fold out poster plus a booklet featuring sketches, filmmaker notes and an illuminating essay from Michael Leader and Jake Cunningham, the team behind the Ghibliotheque podcast about Cartoon Saloon, the origins and creation of these incredible films, and their role in the world of animation and the world at large.

Cartoon Saloon is a multi-award nominated animation studio founded by Paul Young, Tomm Moore and Cork native Nora Twomey.

From award-winning shorts to feature films and TV series, Cartoon Saloon has carved a special place in the international animation industry.

Based in Kilkenny, the studio has a crew of over 200 artists and technicians in production and project development.

In 2010, the studio’s first feature film, ‘The Secret of Kells’, was nominated for an Academy Award and again in 2015 with Tomm Moore’s follow up feature, ‘Song of the Sea’, which was also the first animated feature to win Best Picture at the Irish IFTA Academy awards.

Directed by Cork’s own Nora Twomey, Golden Globe and Academy Award nominated ‘The Breadwinner’ was released in November 2017 to huge critical acclaim.

Cartoon Saloon’s Irish Folklore Trilogy is currently in shops and would make an excellent gift this Christmas.