School: Gort an Iubhair
- Location:
- Gortanure, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Donncha Ó Fiachra
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0242, Page 082
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- There is a fairy rock in our land. Sixty years ago it was like a cave. There was an entrance on the Eastern side. There was a wall about eight feet built as if by man, in from the entrance. Two men could lie, side by side, in this cave or rock. The rock is situated in a corner of the field in front of my father's house.
A horse without a rider and a pig driven by a stately lady used to march from the present hill of "Mullaghanoe" to this rock and enter it, each night. At a certain hour each night a number of horses and riders clad in white used to come from the same hill, to the same rock and hold a fair. A person coming in the distance could hear the confusion of buying and selling and the neighing of horses. When the individual would approach the rock, the object of the vision entered it. The children of the vicinity used to take great pleasure in entering the cave, a peculiar thing happened :- each child that entered it fell seriously ill. Their parents ordered them not to enter it after they recovered.
The old saying did not come to pass, this time, that, "a burned child dreads the fire". But every time they got the chance they entered it. The people said it(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mary B. Hyland
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Cashelduff, Co. Mayo
- Informant
- Hugh Hyland
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Cashelduff, Co. Mayo
