School: Carrigaline, Ráth Mhór
- Location:
- Carraig Uí Leighin, Co. Chorcaí
- Teacher: Eibhlín, Bean Mhic Conchoille
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0357, Page 043
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- XML School: Carrigaline, Ráth Mhór
- XML Page 043
- XML “Graveyards”
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- The Cullen graveyard probably goes back to the Seventh century. St Lateran died about A.D. 670. Her brother St Berihert of Tullylease lived there for some time. An old story goes that at one time an eel or serpent used come from the Araglen River to devour the freshly interred bodies.
A crowd of young men armed, and watched, when the monster appeared, they were seized with fear. It charged upon them, all got away with the exception of a small Carpenter who got caught at the angle of the graveyard wells where the eel was close upon him he flung his axe at it, the blade struck it on the head, stinning it. He quickly finished it off, and when the carcase was cut up it produced 12 firkins of fish. It's hid made enough leather to supply the whole party with boots.
In tradition it goes by the name of the "Cullen Eel". I suppose it is only another version of the vampire Myth.(continues on next page)
- Informant
- J.D. O' Leary
- Gender
- Male
