School: Ganntaigh (Ganty)
- Location:
- Ganty, Co. Galway
- Teacher: Sorcha Bean Uí Chlúin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0034, Page 0177
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- XML School: Ganntaigh (Ganty)
- XML Page 0177
- XML “Bird-Lore”
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- Béaloideas Bird lore
There are not many strange birds known of around this district except the owl. This bird builds its nest in an old ruined castle. Its nest is somewhat like the pigeons, and it's made of twigs and lined with hay and moss. The opening is at the top. It lays about five eggs, the same size as the pigeon's, with brown spots on them. Every dark night, at twelve o'clock, it is to be hear screeching its mournful cry. If anyone of the neighbourhood would be dying it would be screeching mournfully. It has haunted that place for twenty years. It has a head like a cat and a body like a pigeon.
The pigeon also inhabits the district, it builds its nest in laurel and ivy where it will not be noticed. It lays two white eggs, inaize[?] like a young pullet's. It sits on the eggs for three weeks. The young birds are like a gosling at first. The pigeon has a peculiar cry, in the distance it sounds as if it was saying "Take two cows, take two." It is a great thief, it eats young cabbage plants, the young growing corn and other crops. It steals and eats all kinds of fruit and does much damage to the gardener.(continues on next page)
