School: Uachtar Achaidh (roll number 9762)
- Location:
- Oughteragh, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Caitlín Knott
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0224, Page 021
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- XML School: Uachtar Achaidh
- XML Page 021
- XML “Forts”
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- In the townland of Killaneen there are three forts, and several others in the surrounding townlands, each in view of another. They are not all circular in shape
THey are all surrounded with trees and bushes mostly whitethorns and blackthorns.
Some years ago if a house was near a fort, the mother never put a baby to sleep without putting tongs in the cradle with it so that the fairies would not take it away. And if a baby happened to get sick it was supposed that the fairies had taken the healthy baby and left a delicate one in its place.
Some say that the fairy people built these forts, and others say they were built by the Danes. It is supposed that when the enemy was approaching they would need to signal to the next fort. In this district owners of land seldom interfere with them when ploughing or planting crops as they are not in places which are suitable for crops. Some people cut bushes in them for burning, but others would not burn any sticks out of them.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Olive Mitchell
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 60
- Address
- Killaneen, Co. Leitrim
