School: Com Liath (Scoil Brighde) (roll number 8924)
- Location:
- Coomleagh West, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Muircheartach Ó Cróinín
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0282, Page 474
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“On the western side of Glencreagh is a fort on the bank of the river Mealagh.”
(continued from previous page)The cave can be pointed out to any visitor. The old people tell the following story about the cave.
When Finn McCool was in pursuit of Diarmuid and Grania they remained here in this cave for a long time. Diarmuid fooled Finn by bringing a bag of sand from Bantry Bay and sleeping on this in the cave. Each morning when Finn chewed his "thumb of knowledge" he knew Diarmuid was sleeping on the sea-sand. He searched for them all round the sea-coast. When he reached the north coast of Bantry Bay he looked inland and saw a man sitting on a rock *smoking some ten or more miles away. Now Diarmuid was a very hard smoker and Finn knew that no man in Éire but Diarmuid could blow such whiffs of smoke as this man was blowing so again he got on the right track and Diarmuid was forced to try some other ruse to fool Finn.
This story is so common in the locality that I don't think it necessary to give the story-tellers name.
The cave is known here as Leabaidh Dhiarmuda. * Though smoking was hardly then known I wrote the story down as I heard it by the old people.
- Informant
- Michael O' Sullivan
- Gender
- Male
- Informant
- Patrick O' Connor
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 75
- Address
- Gortnacowly, Co. Cork