School: Birr (Mercy Convent)
- Location:
- Birr or Parsonstown, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Sr. Flannan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0821, Page 126
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- XML “Stories Told by the Fireside”
- XML “Stories Told by the Fireside”
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- (continued from previous page)when he awoke he was bald and remained so for his life, and ever afterwards he was called bald Pat.
- In a field on the land of Isodore O'Meara about three hundred yards from the village of Rathcabbin are situated two large clumps of about twenty yards apart. They are situated in the centre of the field and are called "The Fairies' Haunt". The are connected by a narrow path. Numerous stones are scattered on the ground but in one clump at large stone rests against the back of a tree. On this stone are supposed to sit the king and queen of the fairies. It is yet the belief that anyone raising a stone would behold a tiny creature with a red cap on his head, hiding beneath, but no one dare do so for fear of being revenged by the fairies. At one time a quarrel arose between the two different sets of fairies resulting in a war which is supposed to have been fought in the field. It is not known who were the victors.It is remarkable that any animals that ever entered these places were always injured either by getting entangled in the trees or by sliding on the stones. No one has ever interfered with this mysterious(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Mary Tooher
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 49
- Occupation
- Farmer's wife
- Address
- Killyon, Co. Offaly
