School: Brosna (C.) (roll number 13019)
- Location:
- Brosna, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Bean Uí Dhúnaighe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0449, Page 523
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- XML School: Brosna (C.)
- XML Page 523
- XML “The Leipreachán or Mermaid”
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- The Leipreachan is known locally as Luthargan. He is a very small man dressed in red. His work is making shoes and he is called a fairy shoemaker. He lived under the ground and is supposed to have a crock of gold hidden somewhere.
The townland of Knochaurnna is enchanted with luthargans and several people have caught them but they got no gold.
A mermaid is half a woman and half a fish, she is supposed to have a very valuable cap.
Once a man carried a mermaid's cap and he kept it. When ever he went any where he locked the cap in a press and carried the key with him. One day he was going on a journey and forgot to take the key of the press. The mermaid got the key, opened the press and found the cap. She had seven children and they were also mermaids. She set out for the sea and took the children with her. When the man came home they were gone and he never again saw either the children or the mermaid.
The Mulcahys of this district are connected with mermaids. Their great grandmother was a mermaid.
- Collector
- Mary A. Guiney
- Gender
- Female
- Informant
- James Guiney
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Glantaunluskaha, Co. Kerry
