The trooping fairies can be found in merry bans about the hawthorn tree or at feasts in gilded fairy palaces. They delight in company, while the solitary fairies avoid large gatherings at most times, and prefer to be left by alone, and usually try to stay separate from one another. 

The trooping fairies are the major and presiding residents of fairyland; but the solitary ones which sre usually leprechauns, silkies, banshees and merrows (most common), have greater interest in mortal affairs and therefore are generally more familiar to us. 

Fairies exist all over the world. In Ireland they are the 'sidhe' (pronounced shee), a name they have retained 
from the ancient days. 

The trooping fairies are found living in the bushes and circles of stones that crop up all over Ireland -the fairy raths. The fairy raths crop up in pastures all over Ireland, and the farmers never plow them up for fear of disturbing the fairies who live there and bringing bad luck upon themselves. 

The fairies are said to be very beautiful, with long yellow hair and perfect delicate forms. They love milk and honey and drink flower necter as their fairy wine. The fairies can assume any form and can make horses out of straw. They have the power to affect human life, especially unbaptized children. The fairies also love music, often luring mortals into an eternal dance with their piping and singing.