School: An Clochar, Cúil Mhaoile

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1. Fairy Forts (continued)

   

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   also a lot of blackberry bushes growing around them but no one ever eats or pulls the blackberries.
   The forts are all in a very good state as people do not like interfering with them because they think they are the homes of the fairies. But it is supposed that it was the Danes built them and lived in them. There is no entrance hole in the centre of them, but there is a badger's den in the one which is in John Barbour's field. It is said that the badger was seen there last year.
   The owners on the land in which these forts are situated never interfered with the forts because they are afraid, they are even to pass by them at night. Long ago in Ireland the people had no way of travelling but by foot. The men used to walk a long way to the fair, they used to walk night and day. A man named John Kiernan of Templehouse Ballymote, Co. Sligo, started out one morning at four o'clock to a fair in Sligo. From his house to the main road there was a near cut across the fields and on his journey he had to pass by a fort in which was supposed to be the fairies dwelling. When he was passing it he saw fairies dancing and playing, but he was not a man that was easily frightened and he continued on his journey.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. áit-spás-timpeallacht
      1. áiteanna osnádúrtha agus spioradálta (~158)
         1. ráthanna (~5,616)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Crissie Mc Donagh

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Cúil Mhuine, Co. Shligigh

   Informant

   Francis Mc Donagh

   Relation

   Parent

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   An Cnoc Beag Thoir, Co. Shligigh