School: An Ráth Mhór (Clochar) (roll number 13742)

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1. Description of Cathair Crobh Dearg (continued)

   

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   the harbour in a place (after him it is said) callsed Traigh Caeil on the strand of Cael. Credé composed an elegy for him."
   When Timothy T Scannell was raising large stones to make a fence in his field and An Chaoinligh about 300 yards or more from this "city" he found a half-crown of James II dated 1689 A.D. (basecoinage called gun-money really worth about a penny). He also found about 10 yards from the half-crown a harp tuning key. Professer Macalister of the National University kindly told us what both objects were. They are now in his demonstration collection at the university.
   Irregular fences and enclosures - never going straight in mountains. Probably human built or perhaps moraines.
   Caithirin - small round cathair with walls 7 or 8 ff high (?) In Gort na gCeann. Some in Gort Dearg.
   The City festival goes back to pagan times in Ireland.
   I It is held on May Day which was one of the greatest of the Irish pagan feasts.
   (2) the prayers said there are mostly but not entirely for temporal prosperity - for good crops and herds. Down to quite recent times it was customary to bring the cattle here to be cured or benefited. Such as precisely the old pagan festival on May 1st which was held in honour of the agricultural and pastoral deities.
   (3) One of the principal rites at the old pagan feast was dancing. Praying and dancing has been the age-long tradition from time immemorial.
   (4) The City Shrine was sacred to Dana the Mother of the Gods to whom the mountain back of the "City" is dedicated. In Irish its name is Dha Chich Danann vulgarly translated into English as "the paps."

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Location

   Gortnagane, Co. Kerry

   Informant

   Eugene O' Curry

   Gender

   Male