School: Baile Conghaile

Location:
Ballyconneely, Co. Galway
Teacher:
T. A. Mac Suibhne

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The Cailleach Bearach

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0005, Page 083

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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.

Collector
John Conneely
Gender
male
Address
Mannin Beg, Co. Galway
Informant
John Conneely
Gender
male
Age
76
Occupation
farmer
Address
Mannin Beg, Co. Galway
Language
English