School: Grianán (roll number 13178)

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1. Strange Animals Seen in the District

   

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   Very seldom strange birds or animals are seen coming down from the hills. But last winter a very strange bird was heard. First the people thought it was a fox. The bird was never heard during the day but as night drew near it used to be heard. One time they would hear it upon the hill and in a few minutes after it used to be heard in the bog. Every night for about three weeks the people listened to the bird, and thought it was a fox because it had a bark like a fox.
   One night my father and Thomas Gillan were going visiting when they heard the bird, and they also thought it was a fox. They said that there must be a fox in the bog and another on the hill and that they were answering one another. All at once they heard a bark over their heads and on looking up what did they see but a bird, the likes of which they never saw before. The old people said that it was the sign of a few deaths around the place. And before the week was out two people died in Crimlinn and one in Largo.
   Long ago there used to be a bird wandering about in the hills and the people used call it "Giolla na sgread." This bird had no shape but

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Margaret Timlin

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Gort, Co. Mayo