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Knockbrack

Hillfort

Folklore

In my district there are strange stories told. There is a very high hill situated south-west of the school. There are three moats or mounds on one side of the hill.

It is supposed that when the Milesians came to Ireland they made battle with the Tuata De Danawn there. When they were defeated they turned themselves by magical power into fairies. They then went and lived under those 'mounds'.

Some of the inhabitants tell that they have seen some of the fairies on different parts of the hill. Some of the old people tell that they themselves have seen strange happenings on this hill. It is said there was seen a number of armed men on horseback and behind them there was playing some kind of musical instrument. It is said that this is seen when it is just between light and dark every evening when the sun is setting over the hill.

The field in which the highest moat is situated is called the "Round Table" and the moat itself is called the "One Moat". The moat itself got this name perhaps being in a field to itself, the others a piece away.

There can be obtained a great view of the places around from this "moat". On one side is Dublin City and the Dublin Mountains, Dalkey Islands [S??], Ireland's Eye and Howth Head. Then down the other side lie the Mawne Mountains, and Tara can be seen also. It is a lovely thing to see the view on a calm Summer's day. The little pleasure boats shining under the sun and sailing on the [b??] of the blue water.

It is said that anyone that meddles or makes with these moats will always have ill luck and misfortune. This teaches us a lesson and in many cases the stories of olden times tell us also.
"Do you wonder where the fairies are,
The folks declared have vanished?
They're very near yet very far,
But neither dead or vanished."
Some folklore recorded by 13 year old Bridie Harford from Walshestown, in the 1930s.
It's part of the Schools' Collection of the National Folklore Collection of Ireland - which is now being digitised and put on the internet!*

The 'moats' are actually barrows, and part of a barrow cemetery, according to the information on the Irish National Monuments Service website.

*this being an exciting thing to a folklore nerd
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
4th May 2015ce
Edited 4th May 2015ce

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