Céad Míle Fáilte is about Ireland’s folklore, past and present. It is about the greetings and blessings, both traditional and modern, used by Irish people for centuries and right up to the present day.  
Collected and translated by Carmel Fitzgerald, Céad Míle Fáilte has been illustrated by the talented Donegal-based photographer, Ben Elves. His magnificent original photographs of people, landscapes and still life capture the meaning of the greetings and blessings, sometimes with high drama, sometimes with humour.
Greetings and blessings have always been an important part of Ireland’s folklore in the past. This beautifully illustrated collection will ensure that they continue to be so in the future.
Céad Míle Fáilte is the second collaboration between Carmel Fitzgerald and Ben Elves. The Weather is a Good Storyteller, a collection of Irish proverbs, was published by Ashfield Press to considerable acclaim in 2004.

Photographer Ben Elves has lived in Inishowen, Co. Donegal since 1997. In his photographic art work, he draws his inspiration from the drama of the weather and landscape, the sense of history that successive generations have left after their passing – in architecture, culture, religion and mythology – and from the people themselves.
A contributor to the local press, national magazines and to photographic stock agencies in Ireland and the UK, he has had his work used in fields as diverse as tourism, technology, advertising and publishing, as well as in private and commercial collections.
His website www.benelves.com, won a Gold Award for Excellence as “a top level contribution to arts and to the web community’ by the Bel-Art Project, Portugal in 2005. He was a finalist in “Best Digital Image” category in the 2006 Irish Digital Media Awards, and nominated for Best Digital Image in the Local Government, City and Council Awards.
His first book, The Weather is a Good Storyteller: Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir, also with Carmel Fitzgerald, was published by Ashfield Press in November 2004.

Carmel Fitzgerald grew up in Castlebar, Co. Mayo.   Her parents were both Irish speakers and her maternal grandmother had a wealth of Irish expressions that she brought into everyday conversation, despite having never learnt the language formally.
Having graduated with an honours degree in languages from University College Galway, Carmel taught French and Spanish through the medium of Irish.   She has also an MA in theatre studies from Dublin City University.
Her first book, The Weather is a Good Storyteller: Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir, a collection of proverbs and photographs, was published by Ashfield Press in 2004.
Married with three grown up sons, Carmel lives in Glenageary, Co. Dublin.