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Tavraun

Rath

Folklore

Midway between Kilkelly and the beautiful lakes of Orlar stands Tavran House, a pretty building surrounded by a planting of trees. Close to the building there is a little fort, commonly reported to be the resort of the fairies.
The story first got about that the fairies were there through one of the servants of the former owners of Tavran House who are long since dead.

The servant was one evening driving home the cows to be milked when he heard a child crying very close to him. He thought it might be one of the neighbours children who had strayed up the avenue, andhe went where the sound came from but not alone did he see an infant but also a pretty woman who appeared to be its mother. Both were strangers to him, and he was just turning away when he overheard a remark of the woman's which gave him much surprise. She was trying to stop the child crying and to pacify it all the quicker she said "Stop crying now, and I'll soon get you some milk as they are just driving home bracked cows and she will turn the can when it's milked.

The servant then hurried home to see if all the woman said came true. Sure enough just when he finished milking the cow raised her foot and spilt the bucket of milk. When he finished milking the rest of the cows he brought in the milk and told his master what happened.

The master went next evening for the cows with the servant and he heard the same crying and he saw the woman and child. The cow did the same thing again when she was milked, and the master said to turn the cow on to the fort every evening instead of bringing her home. This was done and the cow was milked but not by any human hand.
Cows and fairies seem very linked. Bracked cows do seem to be a thing but I don't know what it means.

A slightly muddled story from The Schools Collection of 1930s folklore, now being digitised at Duchas.ie
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
1st April 2016ce

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