School: Sean Bhaile Árd (roll number 14663)

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1. Lough Lurgeen

   

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   Situated in a wild lonely unfrequented spot in the middle of a big bog outside the village of Glenamaddy in county Galway is a big lake known as Loch Loirigín. The bog is about eight miles long and three miles wide and the lake is in the centre. A great deal of mystery surrounds this lake because of its being so far away from the general route traversed by the people of the neighbourhood. There is a very ancient tradition concerning it which has been preserved down the ages. It is said that there was once a battle between the Connaught and Munster fairies fought on the border between Mayo and Galway. The Munster fairies were represented by those from Cork and Connaught was represented by Mayo. The munster fairies were beaten and only one man and his wife effected an escape. When this was discovered the Connaught fairies pursued them and after a while the fairy's wife got tired and he had to carry her on his back. They were overtaken at this lake in the middle of the bog and as the fairy man still carried his wife on his back she recevied all the blows which were aimed at them from behind. He did not know this for a long time and when he discovered it his wife was beaten to death and only her two shin bones were left and as the Irish for shin bones is loirgín, so the lake was called Loch Loirgín from that time onwards.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)

   Language

   English

   Location

   Lough Lurgeen, Co. Galway

   Collector

   Tomás Ó Murchadha

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Address

   Shanballard, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Tomás Ó Reachtaire

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Glennamucka, Co. Galway