School: Druim Caoin

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1. A Story

   

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   On the old road from Cloughroe to Stranorlar and near to Cloughroe school there is a rocky ledge surrounded by a shrubbery. In olden times this place was swarming with fairies. In a little cabin not far from this fairy haunt lived a man named Paddy Mulligan, his wife Nancy and their six children. Paddy was a great drinker and never missed a market in Ballybofey or a fair in Stranorlar for the sake of getting a feed. He always came come drunk and when passing the gentle shrubbery the fairies started mocking him saying there's Paddy Mulligan away home now, Paddy (M) the spendthrift." It would fit him better if he gave the money he spends on drink to Nancy for house-keeping. This angered Paddy very much and he told them to shut up and mind their own business or if they wouldn't he would go in and scatter them. But they didn't wait for him to go in, they came out and surrounded him telling him to scatter them now if he dared. "Bad cess to you for a rack of skalpeens" said Paddy, "I could beat as many of you as would stand on an Irish mile of this road," Paddy rushed at them with his blackthorn. He struck out in all directions but he always missed his mark. Not so with the fairies, they gave poor Paddy the soundest thrashing he ever got in his life, until at length he fell unconscious and knew no more. About the same

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   Irish

   Collector

   Noreen Bradley

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Callan, Co. Donegal