School: Scádán

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1. Belief about Fairies

   

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   People of long ago had great belief in fairies. The old people did not like to offend the fairies because they thought it might bring bad luck on them. I have often heard of old fairy tales. It is said that the fairies lived under the ground in old fort's called "Shees" They played lovely music. Some people coming home from fairs or markets or even from rambling were enchanted by the music and sat down to it. Before long they were asleep and dreaming about the dancing and music that the fairies were playing. In the morning when they awoke they would think that they were hours down under the ground with the fairies. It is said that if you carried a horse shoe in your pocket you would not be enchanted by the music. There is a lot of old customs of May day connected with the fairies. If you went into another house on May day you would not get a coal to put on you pipe for fear the fairies would bring out the fire for the rest of the year. There is a fort up hills called (Lith [?]) "Lish-na-leana." Its name tells us that it is the fort of wee folk. Many people,

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Micheál Mac Gearailt

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Moydow, Co. Roscommon