Thomas Keightley (1789–1872) was an Irish writer known for his works on mythology and folklore, particularly Fairy Mythology (1828) which has been reprinted as The World Guide to Gnomes, Fairies, Elves, and Other Little People (1880, 1978, 2000, etc.). Regarded as a pioneer in the study of Folklore by modern scholars in the field, he was one of the "early and important comparativist collectors" of folklore.