Name of primary school book in the 1980s / 90s?

[Roasteros]

This is a very long shot, but I wonder does anyone remember a series of books, either History or English text books from primary school in the 1980s / 1990s which had Irish folk tales in them. I seem to remember The Salmon of Knowledge in particular. My brother asked me earlier and now it's annoying me that I can't remember.
Also looking for the title of an English book from 5th class, narrow book, I seem to recall, which had a story called "Strawberry Jam" in it, about a mouse tasting freshly- made jam.

Thanks in advance!

Oh no, now you have posted this, I am also desperate to know. I remember this book too, and strangely the Salmon of Knowledge story is the one that sticks in my head, along with the story of Setanta/Cu Chulainn.
I also fondly remember the 'Disco na mBo' book from primary school.

@laffer well, I'm glad I wasn't imagining the book!

No you definitely weren't. I have fallen down a google rabbithole and I think the English book you're looking for is possibly Wide Range Reader, Blue Book 1. I don't know how to post a photo but it has a bear on the front.

@laffer yes, I found that one for the story, Even the title Wide Ranger Readers brings back happy memories, despite the fact that I can't stick strawberry jam! 😂. I suggested that one to my DB, but he says it's not that book for the folktales. He said that the text was at the bottom of the page and that there were illustrations at the top. I must confess, that doesn't really ring a bell...

Were the English books the Rainbow Reading scheme (see photo)? Would have been early-mid 1980s.

I remember Foley’s having individual readers about Irish myths but I think they may be older.

This maybe??

I started in 1978 and remember reading Irish fables a lot.
Also stories like Don Quixote and Zaccheus. I though the latter was part of religion but my husband claims to have never heard of the little tax collector.

Zaccheus was definitely in the
Religion book - wasn’t he up a tree for some reason? I think there may have been a song about him too.

OP I remember that book and can even remember the picture of Fionn and the salmon. I also remember Blogdogs books - I used to read my older sister’s ones as the stories were great.

@Blogdog these are apparently promising.

@ColonelNobbyNobbs we're so close to getting the name of this book....

@muffb not THE book, but he apparently bought a copy recently and says it's brilliant.

Zaccheus was a short tax collector who climbed a tree so he could have a better view of the travelling preacher everyone was raving about (Jesus). Tax collectors were widely despised and the crowd were disgusted that Jesus then singled him out and said he would visit his house. It illustrates the fact that Jesus would hang out with anyone pure of heart and didn’t care about status in society.

@ColonelNobbyNobbs

There definitely was a song ...somethings you never forget

Zaccheus was a very little man
A very little man was he.
He climbed up into a sycamore tree
For the Saviour he wanted to see.
Now when the Saviour passed that way,
He looked up into the tree
And said: (spoken dramatically, not sung)
'Now Zaccheus, come on down,
'Cause I'm coming to your house for tea.
Yes, I'm coming to your house for tea'.

Actions optional!

@Scarby9 @ Colonel - not just one song, I found two!

I can't believe I hadn't heard these before. Now I'm questioning my whole education. Somehow "Colours of Day" has paled into insignificance now

I hear your 'Colours of Day' and I raise you 'Autumn Days, when the grass is jewelled'
Or 'One more step'.
Classics, all of them.

We had 'Zachaus was a greedy little man clap clap clap collecting all the taxes in the land clap clap clap ZACH-AY-UUUUUUUUUUS!!!'.
Did we have a nun who went off kilter in our school? I'm wracking my brains for the book too it's ringing a bell.

I don't remember a song but a rhyme/poem with jesus calling Zachaus! Zachaus! Come down from that tree.

It was a Sycamore tree, I found one growing in our garden last week and started chanting the above. That's when I found out dh didn't learn that story, apparently.

Ha ha, "zaccheus was a greedy little man" clap clap clap sway sway sway is familiar to me too. Irish national school. I remember the book too. Was it named after that salmon story? I can see the word Feasa on a book cover

@Scarby9

I hear your 'Colours of Day' and I raise you 'Autumn Days, when the grass is jewelled' Or 'One more step'. Classics, all of them.

Indeed!

@Labradooodle ooh, that sounds intriguing. I'm off to google....

This, @Labradooodle? I'm afraid I don't recognise it, but, that wouldn't surprise my long-suffering Irish teacher!🤣

OP you have just sent me back in time. I can picture the book (suspect we're a similar age). The Zacchaeus song I remember was:

Zacchaeus was a greedy little man
Who cheated all the people in the land
When the rent they wouldn't pay
He would take their farms away
And their furniture and everything they had
Zacchaeus, Zacchaeus nobody Zacchaeus.....

Disclaimer: words may not be exact and dh has just looked at me as if I'm mad when I performed this form him....he is also the same age.....