School: Béal an Átha Móir (B.)

Location:
Ballinamore, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Seán Ó Heslin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0225, Page 178

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0225, Page 178

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  1. XML School: Béal an Átha Móir (B.)
  2. XML Page 178
  3. XML “Fenagh”

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  1. The word Fiodhnach means covered with woods, or a wooded place. To-day Fenagh does not abound with woods. It's old name was Dun Baile the fortress of Baile. Baile was a king from the north who gave the name Sráid Bhaile Mhic Buain to Dundalk. Apparently Baile built a fort in Fenagh.
    The massive stone circle of the fortress may be traced there even now. Dun Baile was the residence of kings for centuries, and of High Kings for a long period. There they made treaties, paid tributes and transacted the business of state.
    Dun Gaire
    Conaing Beag Eaglach (Conaing the fearless) who was High King lived at Dun Baile Conaing had a young son named Cobhthach who went to swim in Fenagh Lake and got drowned. The boy's nurse, Rian, got drowned also in an unsuccessful attempt to save the child.
    Their bodies were being sought for 9 days before they were recovered.
    During those nine days there were great shouts and lamentations about the Dun and from the wailings it came to be called Dun Gaire the fort of shouts. The lake in which Cobhthach and Rian were drowned was called Loc Rein after Rian the nurse, according to some accounts and the district called Magh Rein.
    Later the term Magh Rein came to be applied to a great part of
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. events
      1. events (by time of year) (~11,476)
    Language
    English