of three upright stones. It is almost inconceivable by what power such huge masses were lifted from the surface to an elevation in some cases of nearly four feet. They appear to have been used as altars by the Druids; and, from carns being collected around, and over some of them, it is probable that some distinguished personages have been interred beneath them. (4.) This is near Annadorn, in the county Down. It was not known that there was any cromleac under this carn, until it was accidentally discovered by a man who was feeding cows beside it. The cromleac is broad and long, but not so thick as some others: it appears remarkably well adapted for the purpose of an altar. It is entirely surrounded by a number of upright stones, which were also covered by the carn. (5.) This was one of the towers mentioned, note (1.) It stood beside the ancient abbey at that place, but has lately been removed, and the abbey at the same time repaired. (6.) The superstitious veneration forold, solitary thorns, which is very general among the vulgar, proceeds from an idea that they are the haunts of fairies, who are provoked at their being destroyed, and will either maim the person who cuts the thorns, kill his cattle, or, in some other way, injure his substance. (7.) The fairies are generally represented as pigmies, and are said to be seen dancing like a number of children. (8.) Places supposed to be frequented by the fairies are called gentle, as are likewise several herbs, which are said to be under their influence: and, in collecting which, a number of superstitious rites are observed. Although the belief in the existence of these playful sprites is still far from being erased from the minds of the vulgar; yet the want of modern instances of their appearance obliges the accounts of them to be placed in times past, when they cannot be so easily contradicted. (9.) Knock-na-feadalea literally means the Whistling Hill; and the place got this name from reports that the music of the fairies had been often heard to proceed from it. (10.) This night, the last of October, is observed, with many superstitious ceremonies, both in Ireland and Scotland. It is supposed to be one on which aerial sprites are peculiarly active. (11.) This day being observed as a fast, and nothing eaten from breakfast till night; it is customary to look to to the stars, in order to see that they appear, and night is actually come, before sitting down to eat. (12.) This is the manner in which the approach of the fairies is usually described. (13.) The fairy castles were supposed to be moveable at pleasure, invisible to human eyes, and generally built in ancient forths or raths. (14.) It was a general superstition that a new-born child, before baptism-or even the mother herself, might be thus carried away. (15.) It was vulgarly thought that the fairies take such women as Mary was, to nurse those children whom they have carried away. (16.) These were all celebrated haunts of the fabled sprites. (17.) This chief was one of the many, whom the fertile invention of poets has assigned to the fairies; and whom the simple credulity of the ignorant has received. Finvar was another of these kings, whose enchanted castle was at Knock Magha, as that of Macaneantan was at Sgraba. (18.) This story affords a specimen of the popular superstitions of Ireland. Such fictions prevail, more or less, in all countries, according to the degree of information which the common people possess. And it is much to be regretted that they should be very prevalent in the country parts of Ireland, owing, in a great measure, to the want of more valuable knowledge. There is reason to hope, however, that the decay of such superstitions is not far distant, and that the diffusion of learning will remove every vestige of them. In the mean time, these playful inventions of fancy will serve to amuse the reader; nor will they appear more extravagant than the poetic fictions of ancient times. END OF THE SECOND PART. Act bi Tadg boċt go dubac fan adbar; agus dubairt go mfearr doib comairle an tsagairt fagail; agus cuaid triur a latair an atair Briain ui Bhirnn, gur innis a sgeul o tùs go deiread. Ba duine cèillig an tatair Brian, nae dtiobra breit subuid; agus dubairt leis a tSeoigeac naċ bfuigead bean Thaidg, muna gerutucaid se a ceart, faoi lamaib na sagart hard siar, annsna paraistib a raib siad a raon na gcomnaig. B' eigin don tSeoigeac dul air ais, go condae na gaillibe, a gcuinne litreac; agus do cuir an tatair Brian litir leis, fa dein a sagart paraiste. 'Sè freagra cur an sagart sin euige, go raib se fein air torram Mhaire ni Ruairc, cead mna an firse; agus gur pòs se aris è, le mnaoi eile, a d'eug o soin; agus ei be air bit bean a bi ann sin, a dearad gurb' isi fèin bean an tSeoigeac sin, gan a creidmeal." An uair a fuar an tatair Brian an litir sin, tug se comairle air Mhaire i fèin a socrad mar bi si. Daimdeòin sin cuaid an Seoigeac fa dèin an tsagairt a pos è fein is Maire, san àit a rugad's a beatugad i. Bhi sin deic mile fitċead on àit a mbiad siad na gcomnaig. D'airis se don tsagart sin, gur imtig Maire ni Ruairc air siubal uad, fa da bliadain o soin; go raib se 'g a toruigeact, ga bfuar amac i pòsda ag fear eile, a gcondae an Dùin; agus nac leigfead sagart na paraiste sin do a fagail, muna bfuigead se crutuga faoi na lamsan, gur leis i. Niar airis se an dadaṁ fa bàs Mhaire; agus ni raib fios agan tsagairt sin uime, oir d'eug muintir Mhaire, sul far posad i, agus ni raib moran umrad uirrte, san ait sin. Chuir an sagart litir leis, fa dèin Easbuic Dhùin, gur pos sesean cailin, da ngoirti Maire ni Ruairc, a tainic o daoinib cneasda, anna paraiste fèin, le buaċaill macanta, da ngoirti Sean Seoigeaċ, a bi na ċomnaig laim le cnoc Maga; agus go nabair se leis gur imtig si uad, 's go bfuil si na Poor Poor Thady, however, was in great trouble about the business; and said that it was best to take the priest's advice: accordingly all three went to father Bryan Byrne, and told him the whole story. Father Bryan was a sensible man, who would not give a rash judgment, therefore he told Joyce that he should not get Thady's wife, unless he proved his right to her, under the hand of the priest in the west, in the parish where they had lived together. Joyce was thus obliged to return to the county Galway for this letter, and Father Bryan wrote by him to his parish priest. " that The answer which the priest returned was, he was himself at the funeral of Mary Rourke, the first wife of this man; that he married him again to another woman, who was since dead; and whatsoever woman she was, who said that she was Joyce's wife, ought not to be believed." When Father Bryan received this letter, he advised Mary to remain as she was. Notwithstanding this, Joyce went to the priest who married him to Mary, in the place where she was born and bred. This was thirty miles from the place where they lived. He told this priest that Mary Rourke had left him about two years before; that he had sought for her until he found her married to another man, in the county Down; and that the priest of that parish would not allow him to get her, unless he got a testimony, under his hand, that she was his wife. He said not a word of Mary's death, nor did that priest know any thing of it; for Mary's friends were dead before she was married, and she was not much mentioned in that place. This priest sent a letter by him to the Bishop of Down," that he had married a girl called Mary Rourke, of honest kindred, in his own parish, to a decent young man, called John Joyce, who lived near Knock Magha; that he was informed she had comnaig |
