School: Tulach Sheasta, Clochair na Trócaire

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   “As a person travels a mile southward from the village of Ballina, in the direction of Birdhill....”

   

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   persecution.
   But many centuries before, when glorious Eire groaned beneath the iron heel of British Imperialism, Templeahollow was the scene of other desecrations, more hideous and appealing, than the most sanguinary enemies of Ireland could imagine, much less perpetrate. The destroyer, on this occasion, was a pre-historic amphibious monster, the description of which is nearly enough to terrify the reader.
   Tradition says he was hydra-headed, and had tentacles like those of a giant octopus but almost a mile in length, and huge seal like flappers. He was believed to weigh a hundred tons, and his back was made of shell, like that of a tortoise. He dwelt beneath the silvery waters of Lough Derg, on the Shannon, where he used to repose by day. Although he used to lie at the bottom of the lake, his huge tentacles used sometimes spread over the banks for several hundred yards, at both sides, and if an unwary human being happened to tread upon them, these slimy organs would embrace him and drag him to a horrible doom. The tentacles when spread

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary A. Flynn

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   15

   Informant

   Mary Lynch

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   c. 54

   Address

   Farneigh, Co. Tipperary