School: Baile an Doire (roll number 16410)

Location:
Ballinderry, Co. Galway
Teacher:
Tomás Ó Maolmhichíl

Filter stories

Back
/ 0281 Forward
Resolution: Low | High
An Chailleach Bhéarach

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0021, Page 0258

Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD. See copyright details »

On this page

There are many stories in the mouths of the people about giants and old hags. There are some stories in nearly village in Ireland about the "caileach bhearach" but when I went enquiring for them I could not find any. There are many sayings quoted by the people about her. I got a little about giants.
There were two giants living not far from this place long ago. One was living in Knock-Crow, a hill that is south east of this school, and the other was living at Knockmah, a hill that is north-west of this school. They were jealous of each other's strength, so the giant in Knockcrow was going to fire a stone at the giant in Knockmah but it slipped from him and fell in Doonbeg, a village near this school and it is called "Cloch-breac."
Here is another story about a giant. He was once employed by a farmer who was trying to kill him. One evenign the farmer sent him to bring home his bull, but when the bull saw him enter the field he ran up to him, but before the bull could kick him he hit in

(continues on next page)
Informant
Charles Mc Cabe
Relation
parent
Gender
male
Address
Brackloon, Co. Galway
Language
English