School: Gortloney (roll number 11978)

Location:
Gortloney, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Eoghan de Buitléir
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0716, Page 226

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0716, Page 226

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  1. XML School: Gortloney
  2. XML Page 226
  3. XML “Local Accounts of Ghosts, Fairies and Pookas”

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  1. At the present time, in this neighbourhood, there are scarcely any stories told about ghosts or fairies, because most people do not believe that such things exist. Some years ago belief in spirits was for more common than it is now. When the person is going along the road mile after mile and if he gets hungry and can't go any further, it is said that he met the "Fear-Gorta." Once upon a time a man was coming home from a ceilidhe and he met a dog with red eyes. He walked the whole way with him and when he went home there was a terrible smell of him, and all his clothes had to be burned. The skin fell off his body and after a few days he died. It was also believed that fairies occasionally stole away healthy babies and left sickly pining children
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Maureen Butler
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Gortloney, Co. Meath