School: Baile Conghaile

Location:
Ballyconneely, Co. Galway
Teacher:
T. A. Mac Suibhne
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0005, Page 083

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0005, Page 083

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  1. XML School: Baile Conghaile
  2. XML Page 083
  3. XML “The Cailleach Bearach”

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  1. Long ago there was a widow herding her cattle. She was looking out on the sea when suddenly she saw a wild bull coming out of it and approaching the land. He came through the rocks and was lowing fiercely. The widow was a magic woman and she had her magic wand in her hand. The bull came into the field in which the widow was. He started to kill the cattle. She arose at once and got her horse and followed him. Then the bull started to go towards the sea but she turned him with her magic wand. She followed him for about four miles and on turning towards the sea again she hit him with her wand and killed him. On doing this she fell and left the track of her hand in the rock and the wand fell out of her hand and is under the bull up to the present day. The horse left the track of his hoof in the rock and is also to be seen. Before the widow left she changed the bull into a green rock. Then she returned into the lake.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. medical practice
        1. folk medicine (~11,815)
    2. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
        1. hags (~139)
          1. Hag of Beara (~28)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    John Conneely
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Mannin Beg, Co. Galway
    Informant
    John Conneely
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    76
    Occupation
    Farmer
    Address
    Mannin Beg, Co. Galway