Dáithí Ó hÓgáin is Associate Professor of Irish folklore at University College Dublin. He is the author of over 40 books, including The Celts and The Sacred Isle (both Boydell), most of which have come to be treated as standard reference works. He is well known in Ireland as a poet, writing in both English and Irish, and as a radio and television broadcaster. In 1994 he was co-founder of the European Centre for Traditional Culture in Budapest.

Just some of his other books include: Celtic Warriors, Footsteps from Another World (a collection of poetry in English), The Hero in Irish Folk History, Irish Superstitions, Historic Ireland, Ireland: People and Places (co-editor with Peter Thew), and Animals in Ireland.

He has also co-edited, with Peter Thew, the Irish Family Names series (published by Gill and Macmillan).