The famous poem by William Allingham might be ringing in the ears of some daring children in West Cork as they go in search of mysterious fairy doors that have appeared in a local woods.

’Tis the season for ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties, but this Halloween some children are hoping for a treat rather than a trick after a band of fairies moved into the ancient woods near their village.

About 20 fairy homes, each with a brightly-painted gothic-style wooden door, have appeared at the base of several trees in Dromkeen Wood near Innishannon — and the arrival of these supernatural beings has attracted large numbers of visitors to the woods, which date to the 1750s.

The first fairy doors magically started to appear tucked into cracks in the trees’ mossy bases a few months ago , according to local resident Alice Taylor, author of the best-selling To School Through the Fields, and active member of the local Tidy Towns Committee.

Visiting children now eagerly search out the colourful little red, yellow and blue doors — some of which are not immediately visible to the careless adult eye — while others enjoy picnics around the huge flat table-stone at the Fairy Village at the centre of Dromkeen Woods.

What is correctly termed as “a tizzy” of fairies was first attracted to the forest last summer by a project between the Tidy Towns Committee and sponsors such as Cork County Council, the Gwendoline Harold Barry Trust, and companies MSD Brinny and Eli Lily.

After new paths, steps, and hand-rails had been installed to improve public access to the woods, the Tidy Towns Committee got together with local carpenter Jimmy McCarthy, to make the natural amenity even more attractive to children by making, hand-painting, and varnishing — with hard-wearing yacht varnish — the beautifully-constructed 6in wooden doors.

“These are gorgeous old mossy trees, and the little doors fit right into holes in the bases, so they look absolutely beautiful,” Ms Taylor said.

The committee has applied for a grant under the new Government Neighbour Wood Scheme, to continue with its planned improvement works, and if it is successful, even more fairy doors are set to appear in this ancient forest.

“The children are mad to go and search for the fairy doors now — the doors have helped make the wood even more attractive for the children and their families,” said Ms Taylor.