School: Rathcoyle, Kiltegan

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1. Fairies

   

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   The fairies are often known as "the good people" or the "leipreacháns". In olden times it was said that if a person went into a rath before sunrise or after sunset, the fairies would have power to keep him and change him into a fairy. A story is told about a man who was passing by a rath, late one night. As he was passing by the rath he heard beautiful music going on in it so he stopped to listen to it. After listening for some time he joined in with the fairies in the chorus of the song which they were singing. The fairies were amazed when they heard him and they brought him into the rath. After having given him a good meal they asked what should they do for him. The man had a hump on his back, so they said they would take it off him. They did so and sent him home. There was another man in the district and he also had a hump on his back. This man thought that the fairies would take the hump off his back so he went to the place where the rath was,

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. gníomhairí (~1)
      1. neacha neamhshaolta agus osnádúrtha (~14,864)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   John Shiel

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Address

   Carraig na Maol, Co. Chill Mhantáin