School: Gortnessy (roll number 7235)

Location:
Gortinessy, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
M. Nic Sheáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1030, Page 341

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1030, Page 341

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  3. XML “Fairy Forts”

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  1. There is a circular fence of earth on top of a hill in the school district. It is known as Rathnacross and is situated in the townland of Drumawark.
    There is a hole in the middle of it where a Celtic cross stood but it is broken now and the remains of it are in Carne graveyard. The cross was a land-mark on the way to Lough Derg and it was also a mark of the boundary of the Terman lands which once belonged to the monks who lived on the island of Lough Day.
    Some men have dug up some clay in the centre of the circle and have found blackened flag stones where beacon fires had been lit. These fires were also used as a land mark.
    All the people travelled on foot to Lough Derg at that time and used an old road which passes Rathnacross.
    The fairy-people were supposed to live in this rath and it was said that if a person spoke to them he would be taken away on a white horse and never be let down off him.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. place-space-environment
      1. legendary and spiritual places (~158)
        1. fairy forts (~5,616)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Ernest Crawford
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Cullion, Co. Donegal
    Informant
    Mrs B. Crawford
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    52
    Address
    Cullion, Co. Donegal