School: Carra

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1. The Children of the Mermaid

   

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   Long ago there lived in Bonniconlon a rich chieftain named Fergus O’Dowd. He owed immense property and he had many castles built on his estate. It is said that his haggard consisted of no less than ninety stacks of oats and over one hundred ricks of hay. He also had many flocks and herds. One day when walking by the seashore he saw a mermaid sitting on a rock comnbing her hair, he drew nearer to her until at last he was near enough to snatch her grean claok which lay on the rocks. The mermaid immediately ran after him and begged him to give her back the cloak. He however refused and she had to follow him because she could not swim without it. When they reached Bonniconlon he married her. They lived happily for many years and they had three children, two boys and a girl. But he had to keep the cloak forever out of her sight else she could go back again to the sea. However one day he went to a fair in Enniscrone and

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Molly Richards

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Emlymoran, Co. Sligo

   Informant

   Mrs Anthony Jordan

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Carha, Co. Mayo