School: Gortnacart (roll number 15554)

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1. Local Tradition - The Danish Caves (continued)

   

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   when they were on the point of moving it, a flash of lightning struck one of them dead. Immediately the other fled and he did not cease running until he was at home. No person has ever dared to enter the caves and of course as a consequence, no one has ever touched the flag since.
   Now the people living presently in the district maintain that fairies inhabit the fort, and no one dares to go near it after night has set in. These caves are said to be over a quarter of a mile in length, and one of them ends at a huge spring well, which may have been of the protection necessary to prevent anyone from approaching in that direction. The entrance to the caves from the fort is shaped very much like doors of modern use, which goes to prove that this entrance was guarded by a huge flag very much like a door and which acted like a door for those entering and leaving. At least tradition in the neighbourhood would have us believe that the flag closing the entrance was suspended in some way and opened and closed at ease, and served the very same purpose that our doors on our houses do.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. objects
      1. man-made structures
         1. historical and commemorative structures (~6,794)

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mary Ann Breslin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   60

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Kilrean Lower, Co. Donegal