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Folklore Posts by ryaner

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Carnagat (Court Tomb)

The name "Carnagat" (Carn na gcat? Cathair na gcat?) according to local tradition arose from the fact that the cairn was the haunt of wild cats. I have once heard it called "Carraig na gcat" by an old country woman, who corrected my referring to it as "Carnagat," but the latter is the usual name. Local folklore has it that these fairy cats were wont to steal the corn from the harvesters and convey it hither to their stronghold – the chief trysting place of all the fairy bands of the country round!

From Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland JRSAI 52 (1922), Carnagat, by Winifred Wulff, member (read 5 July, 1921)

Clogh Leabhrais (Natural Rock Feature)

An enormous glacial errartic “around which a lie must not be told for fear of the rock splitting in two.”

Burren (Central, W) (Wedge Tomb)

Tullygobban (Tulaigh an Ghobáin) is though to be named after the Gobán Saor, the master craftsman of Irish folklore. His wife and child are thought to be buried on this hill.

Loughanleagh

The name Loughanleagh is derived from the Irish language Lough an Leighis – the lake of the cures. Immediately west of this panel there was a small lake until fairly recent times. Sadly, it has since dried up and is surrounded with forest. Reputedly, this lake had healing waters and mud, a tradition that dates back to pre-christian times. It may have been a sacred Celtic pool and in later times was regarded as being a potent cure for scurvy and skin diseases.

...

Ancient folklore dictates that there was a Cailleach (a goddess) who dropped stones out of her apron that form the cairns on the mountain. Apparently, she was a ferocious being who could take on the appearance of a beautiful maiden. In one infamous encounter it was said that St. Patrick struck and killed the Cailleach.

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Yet another story has it that the mountain was home to a resident hare who had a big red eye. The hare of Loughanleagh could leap into the lake and return to the otherworld. Hares are today common around the area.

From the Coillte notice board.

Mullynavale (Cairn(s))

The Tomb of Bith

From the archaic strata of Irish myth concerning the original settlement of Ireland, as recorded in 'Lebor Gabála', the first man and woman to land were Adra – The Ancient (alias Ladra) – and his sister Cesair, with their father, Bith, together with a number of subordinate women.

Bith traveled north through Ireland from the Munster landing place and then died at Slieve Beagh, on the Ulster mountain named after him. There the "seventeen magnificent maidens" who accompanied him on the journey to the northern province buried him under the mountain-top cairn they constructed, the Carn More or Great Cairn.

The Irish word 'bith' means "cosmos, world, eternity, everlasting, being and existence." Thus his name, his body, and his cairn carry the load of the entire universe. He brings a truly cosmogonic myth to the southern fringe of Ulster.

From "Ireland, A Sacred Journey" by Michael Dames (Element Books 2000), first published as "Mythic Ireland" by Thames and Hudson, 1992.

Castletimon (Standing Stone / Menhir)

From the Castletimon Heritage Trail sign:

Legend says that the Ogham stone was once picked up by the Castletimon Giant and was thrown down the hill and the scratches on it were left by his fingernails.

Also... There was once a man who lived near the Ogham stone who took it from its place to use it as a hob stone. The fairies got so angry they made his cutlery dance and jiggle. After a week of this he got so annoyed he took it back to its original place.

Castletown - Standing Stone (Standing Stone / Menhir)

According to tradition (OS memoranda 5439 C) this is the 'Lia Lingadon', the stone of Lingadon, herd of the cows of Dictoire, Cu Chulainn's mother.

from The Archaeological Survey of Co. Louth

Aghnafarcan (Court Tomb)

In the folk tradition it is the burial place of a Scandinavian giant called Manowar, who came here to kill Fin McCool. Fearing the foreign visitor, Fin had himself disguised as a baby by his wife and bit Manowar on the finger when the latter attempted to tease him. As this was just the baby Manowar became afraid and attempted to leave but dropped dead mysteriously afterwards.
(Flanagan 1933; IFC, Schools MSS, (931)

Cranaghan (Slieve Russel Hotel, present location) (Wedge Tomb)

Originally built at H273211 in Aughrim townland, this was excavated and moved to the grounds of the swish Slieve Russel Hotel. The owner of both sites was once one of the the richest men in Ireland. Some in the area believe in the old ways:
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sean-quinns-downfall-is-fairies-revenge-say-locals-in-cavan-26794562.html

County Limerick

The Banshee Lives in the Handball Alley

The Banshee Lives in the Handball Alley is a short compilation derived from a larger collection of folklore recorded in three primary schools in Limerick City as part of the Cuisle Poetry Festival and Young EV+A in 2004 and 2005.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X764d7yCQFs&feature=youtu.be

Easky (Natural Rock Feature)

"Local tradition says that should you walk through the crack in the rock three times, the rock will close on you."

Soulbury (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Some cite a legend that the stone rolls down the low hill every night at midnight only to reappear each morning, though sceptics scoff at such superstition and say it only happens every Halloween.

The Guardian, 5/4/16

;-)

Ticknevin (Bullaun Stone)

From archaeology.ie:

A circular hollow (diam. 0.4m; D 0.25m) in a natural rock outcrop is known locally as the 'Wart Well'. Traditionally, the 'well' appeared after St Brigid's horse left a hoof-mark in the stone. For a cure, it must be visited three times; a pin is left at the first visit and at the third visit the pins and warts will have disappeared.

Cluain tSalach (Standing Stone / Menhir)

The small 'wishing stone of Mevagh' (now missing) is said to have rested on top of the standing stone.

Bellewstown (Artificial Mound)

The Irish translation given on the OS map sheet 43 for Bellewstown is Baile an Bheileogaigh. Beile or bile is the name given to old inauguration trees. So the town of the inauguration tree of the Ogaigh's (possibly another version of Haughey?)
However, on the western approach to the town is a sign that says Sliabh B.(aile) na gCailleach, the Hill of the town of the Hag.

Greenanstown (Standing Stones)

Know locally as the Jack Stones, they are said to have been thrown to here from Tara by the legendary hero Finn MacCool.
(Throwing stones seems to have been a rather common habit of old Finn.)

Grange (Sacred Well)

... a ploughman was ploughing an area within the nearby graveyard, and was advised not to continue as it was holy ground. He responded by saying 'St. Mobhí or St. Mobhó, I'll plough my frough before I go', at which point the ground opened up and swallowed him, with his horses and plough.

from: Ancient & Holy Wells of Dublin
by Gary Branigan
published by The History Press Ireland

Raheendhu/Ballinascorney (Rath)

From:

"The History and Antiquities of Tallaght In The County of Dublin" By William Domville Handcock, M.A.
Second Edition Revised and Enlarged. Dublin, 1899

The mountains and hills in the parish are :- Mountpelier; Slievenabawnoge, or the mountain of the lea; the hill of Ballymorefinn, or Finn's great town; Slievebane, or the white mountain; the mountain of Glassavullaun, or the stream of the little summit; Kippure, or the trunk of the yew tree; the Black hill; Seeghane, or the seat; Carrig (i.e., the rock); and Bryan's hill.
Amongst objects of archaeological interest dating from primeval times there are in the townland of Ballinascorney a rath called Raheendhu, or the black fort, and two stone circles enclosing the remains of a cromlech called the cairn of the second rock or the red hero?; in the townland of Ballymana a place of sepulture called Knockanvinidee, or the rennet hill?; in the town -land of Mountseskin a place of sepulture called Knockannavea, or the ravens' hill, and a mound called the Bakinghouse hill; and in the townland of Glassamucky a place of sepulture called, Knockanteedan, or the little hill of the blasts or gusts; while in the townland of Castlekelly there are a number of sepulchral mounds including three known respectively as Meave's hill, the hill of the rowan tree, and the red hill, as well as a cromlech and some stone circles; and on the hill called Seeghane, or the seat, there are a cairn and two cromlechs.

Amongst the wells in the parish are the following: - St. Paul's well, in the town-land of Kiltalown; Moling's well or the Piper's well in- the townland of Corbally; the Fairy well, near Tymon Castle; the Lime Kiln well at Balrothery; the Chapel well, on the brink of the Dodder near Tallaght village; and St. Columkille’s well in the townland of Oldcourt.

(The parish he refers to at the beginning of the entry is Tallaght. This passage includes a mention of the rath, but it also contains mentions of other known, and less well-known sites. Hmmmm.)

Aghascrebagh (Standing Stone / Menhir)

Local people are often concerned about the implications of their actions in relation to historic monuments and archaeological features in general. Many will not touch such features on their land in fear of some repercussions by the fairies. A former landowner of the ogham stone, who lived in the now ruined cottage close by, decided he wanted to remove the stone and began to dig around it. However, bad fortune was to follow, for no sooner had he started work than water began to rise in the byre bringing havoc to his buildings and his animals. When the farmer decided to stop the digging work normality returned to his farm holdings.

Local tales passed down from generation to generation also tell of one landowner, a giant of a man, who was tied to the nearby standing stone for some misdemeanor and guarded there by twelve strong men. However the landowner broke away from the stone and killed all the guards who traditions says were buried in the graveyard across the road. The story goes on to say that the landowner himself is buried under the ogham stone.

Taken from the info. board, erected by the Environment & Heritage Service and Omagh District Council

Lugmore Cist

In his book "All Roads Lead to Tallaght" (published by South Dublin Libraries), Patrick Healy says: "According to Malachi Horan this was known as Kenny's Stone from a man named Kenny who found an urn full of gold in it."
Taxi-driving, graphic artist with a penchant for high hills and low boulders. Currently residing in Tallaght where I can escape to the wildernesses of Wicklow within 10 minutes.

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