School: Borrisoleigh (roll number 590)

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1. Gorteenadawn

   

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   Gorteenadawn is the name of a townland about two miles from here and many stories are told of the doings of the fairies there.
   One summer morning before the light broke an old man named William Ryan and his son were on their way from Pallas to the fair of Nenagh and this is how he used to describe what happened.
   "When passing Burke's gate my son, who was sitting on the other "fall" of the side-car, turned to me and said 'Who's after getting up on your side of the car?' I wondered what he meant and answered, 'No one.' 'Then what's weighing up the car?' said he. 'Are you silly?' said I, for I did not see or hear anything unusual. I had scarcely said this when I felt my own side of the car rising up as if someone were mounting on the other. I looked but could see no one and so I held my tongue. The horse had been trotting but it now stopped and I had to use the whip to make it move at all. After a few seconds my son said, 'We are now on the level road at Gorteenadawn and what's wrong with the horse?' At this time the horse was pulling as if it carried a load of over a ton and so I jumped down and took it by the head. My son did the same but still it laboured heavily. Though we were chucking it constantly it took us all our time to keep it going. At last we reached Fogarty's gate and just as we were about to

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

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

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Thomas Gleeson

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Knockinure, Co. Tipperary

   Informant

   Edward Ryan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   60

   Address

   Coarse Park, Co. Tipperary