School: Moyvoughley (roll number 7249)
- Location:
- Moyvoughly, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: C. Ní Fhlannagáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0743, Page 071
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- XML “Fairy Forts”
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- Martin Donlon of Bugawn had a cow that was born in a fairy fort. She never gave satisfaction. Her first three calves fell dead when apparently in the best of health. She had her fourth calf on a Sunday morning in May. Martin separated the cow from calf and secured the door of the calf house. Then his brother started for Offaly to consult a fairy doctor. After hearing his story the doctor told him that the cow belonged to the fairies and advised him to go home quickly and lock the door of the calf house for the next nine days. "If not the fairies will take the calf out and drown it in the river that runs near your house."
Donlon started for home quickly and when he came within earshot of his house he was greeted with: "You had your journey for nothing. About an hour after your leaving here I opened the door of the calf house to feed him and the calf bursted out and ran like mad down the field and jumped into the river. When I went down, he was stone dead"