Carlingford
The town of Carlingford is at the foot of Slieve Foy where all the old ruins of abbeys and castles used to be. Thousands of years ago between Slieve Foy and Slieve Ban where the wares of Carlingford now roll was the old town of Cahir Linn the city of the Pool. The city was situated at the banks of a pool. Their pool was fresh water and the people used to bathe there before worshiping their gods, Lugh and Brigit the god and goddess of fire. The city was called the golden city because the domes of the temple used to shine brightly in the sunshine. The fire was on the altar in the high temple and all the priests and people were around the fire. Above their hears were the gods and goddess of fire. The fir was kept burning every day of the year except one day and on that day it was put out. On the next day the fire was lighted again. The people imagined that they could see different kinds of animals in the fire. No people were allowed to join

He found that ten twelve and fifteen gallons of whiskey were a common order whilst in some instances as much as eighteen gallons were consumed. These figures would pertain to a period anterior to the great war, say thirty years ago.
On the night of the wake the relatives were told off for certain work. One reliable man was left in charge of the liquid refreshment. Another cut the tobacco filled the pipes and distributed them. This is the spot where most youngsters got their first introduction to the goddess nicotine. It was generally a painful and unforgettable experience as the tobacco was strong and there was an unlimited supply. Also, part of the sport of the night was to watch the initiation process, the first few deep rapturous whiffs, the swelling importance of the youngster recognising himself to be the cynosure of all eyes, then the glazed eye of the drug addict, the white wan sea green complexion, vomiting and drink of cold water and afterwards extinction and a visit to the back yard to breathe god's pure air and see the wise old face of the moon through tears of travail and regret.

Seán Ó'Donabháin, Gorta-na-hEornan, Cill Biortáin a chum an píosa filidheachta seo leanas le h-agaidh cailín aimsire a bhí ag obair le Scotts, Gort an Ghleanna, Cill Biortáin.Mac feirmeóra ab'eadh é. Chaith sé seal gairid ar sgoil i gCill Biortáin. Pósadh é ar cailín go raibh tig tábhairne aice ag "an Loch" i gCorcaig. Bhí post aige sa phríosún annsan. Nuair a tugadh culaith éadaigh nua isteach fé cheilt chuig William O Biren cuireadh an cor i leith Sheáin Uí Dhonnabháin agus chaill sé a phost. Chuaidh sé go dtí Meiriocá.
(1)One evening fair for peregrinations
As I strayed by the banks of Sweet Lisheen's side
I espied a damsel both fair and handsome
And that charming goddess had my heart beguiled.
(II)That blooming lassie, she far surpasses
The most charming goddess of ancient Rome
Its loose and nimble she can work her thimble
And describe the ship in the seas white foam.
(III)Had I the sceptre of loyal princes
Or the most glorious crown of the King of Spain
The wand of liberty in her hand I'd place it
If true to me she would still remain.

There are more superstitions connected with milk and butter than with any other farm product, probably because, in the mythology of nearly all the nations, the cow is looked on as a sacred animals
The Egyptian Hathor was a cow - goddess, and the. Druids brought the cult of ox - worship in very early times into the British Isles. They sacrificed white bulls when they cut the all - seal plant - the mistletoe - from the oak trees and in Ireland especially there are many stories and legends of sacred cows, and the journeys they took through the country, One Such cow kept nine score Druidessess supplied with milk, and King Diarmuid Mac Caerbhail, who was described as "half Druid and half a christian" killed his own son for destroying one

Carlingford.
At the foot of Sleive Foy nestles the present town of Carlingford, with all its ruins and abbeys. Thousands of years ago, between Sleive Foy and Sleive Ban, where Carlingford Lough is now, the town of Carlingford used to stand. This city used to be situated on the bank of a pool in which the people bathed before entering the twmple to make offerings to Lugh and Brigit, the god and goddess of fire, because the people then were worshipers of fire. The city was sometimes called the golden city on account of the golden domes on tip of the temple which glittered in the sunlight. It was a very rich city because pilgrims brought riches for offerings to Lugh and Brigit, and the temple had hundreds of jewels in it.
On an altar in the high temple a fire was kept

put in jail but Colla escaped. One day a king came from a foreign country and King Carolan laid a feast for him.
Everybody forgot about Aete and during the feast Colla went to where Aete was imprisoned. He managed to free her and they ran away without being seen. Unfortunately their escape was soon found out and they were caught and brought back again. They were put in prison and a big fire was lit outside so that if anybody toughed the bars they would burn their fingers. Colla made attempts to get out but he only burnt his fingers. They were suffocated with the heat but could do nothing. They tried to go to sleep but as the ground was hard and the heat was unbearable they could not. At last the day came when they should die. They were condemned to death by being put in the volcano. They were brought on two stretchers, bound hands and foot and thrown into the volcano as a sacrifice to the god and goddess of fire. As soon as they were thrown in they were dead. The volcano poured out lava and the heat was intense, the people ran to the shelter of

As regards the wedding day the popular jingle runs Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday the best day of all. Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, and Saturday no luck at all.
There seems to be a general dislike of Monday and Friday. Wednesday and Saturday are by far the most popular, especially in June and particularly if it be the fourth of that month June is named in honour of the goddess Juno the protector of women. Old tradition demands that the bride wears something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue on her wedding morn.
The bride should be

Here amongst the country folk in olden times the Goddess "Luck," seemed to have reigned supreme. Though every tradition points back toe a high sense of Religion still 'luck' seemed to come into all being. It governed reprieve at all gatherings night and day. From generation to generation something like an unwritten code of laws was landed on - better observed than laws as we know them now. It was right to do certain things but it was unlucky to do hosts of other things. Simply it is this and that was not right nor lucky to have anything to do with and this notion helped to make the people better than they otherwise would have been.
Examples
It was not right for a mother of an unborn child to mimic or make game of any one affected or the unborn child might come into the world suffering from the same affliction.

avoid the older ones' company to seek pleasure for themselves. It is on one of those older swallows that Micky loves to think and around whom he weaves his story.
One morning the goddess of sleep left his sleeping room verry early and as he tossed restlessly from side to side he suddenly heard his favourite music at the window. It had again come to cheer him up. He listened a long while and as he noticed the music dying away save one shrill sharp voice, he knew the birds had gone to breakfast. He did not want the birds to think he had forsaken them and so he arose quickly to give them some crumbs. But they had all gone exept one aged bird who appeared sickly. She jumped on to a chair as he opened the door and while he served refreshments she sang in her shrill sharp voice. She was a favourite pet of

This takes us back to the fifth century A.D. St. Patrick coming in 432 A.D. It is generally held that the Celts did very little to disturb the religious life of the country and took over most of the Pre-Celtic shrines and feasts. If this be so it takes the City Festival back not merely to the fifth century A.D but to the fourth century B.C. when the Celts arrived. That the City Festival is at least 2300 years old is particularly certain and few competent to give an opinion on the matter would venture to question this.On a prior grounds we believe that the City Festival is possibly three times as old as even this staggering figure. Archeologist's tell us that Ireland was inhabited by man at least 6000 B.C. A thousand years is ample time to allow our colonists to penetrate to Munster. Once they arrived in Munster we believe their religious insticts led them to come straight to the Dhá Chich Danann. The Goddess of Fecundity was the deity most homoured amongst practically all pagan peoples (certainly by our own pagan ancestors). The extraordinary shape of the twin peaks back of the City was bound to suggest to the veriest an ideal spot to erect a shrine to Dana the Mother of the Gods. On this account we believe that it is quite possible that the City Shrine goes back to 5000 B.C. and that the City Festival on May day may have been celebrated without a break for nearly 70 centuries.For 13 centuries long after the active opposition on the part of Christianity has ceased there has been a subtle opposition to the May Day festival. Thirsty years ago Canon Walsh denounced it from the altar because of abuses as regards drink. More recently still an overzealous curate condemned it as it kept children away from school! (There should certainly be no school in Ráth Mhór Parish that day. Would

blandishments, his entreaties, and his threats.A second time, he repeated these words:
"If thou wilt come back with me, you shall enjoy all the happiness and comfort, I can find for thee, and I shall build a marble temple, in honour of you, and my subjects shall adore and venerate you as a goddess, and if not, they shall suffer punishment according to my laws. If you don't come with me, you shall suffer punishment, according to my laws and shall suffer death, like that decrepit old priest". Dympna, looking towards where St. Genebran lay stark and motionless on the ground, exclaimed "Oh father, cruel father, I suffer the death of my good priest and mentor, rather than submit to your evil diatribes, your barbarity, your maledictions and your machinations.The King commanded the soldiers to behead her. They hesitated, thinking he might repent, and take revenge upon them. But the King, seeing his commands disregarded, unsheathed his sword and put her to death and thus did Dympna die for the faith, 1,250 years ago. The Pagan King hastened from the scene of his crime, and returned to Erin

Breffney, once adorned by O'Reills eighteen castles, and seven abbeys.
In Moybologue direction there is a deep ravine which if tradition is true was made at the command of an ancient Breffney war goddess for some weird purpose.
In the early part of the 16th century when the MacGargan chiefs dominated a 'goodly portion of Clonkee' the heir to the chieftaincy according to tradition was invited to a banquet at O'Reillys Castle of Toneregee.
At this period the English of the Pale were want to creep occassionally into 'the rich clanchies' in search of spoils and it was then customary for the Celtic chiefs who resided along these borders to be supplied with a guard of armed natives for protection.
The Clans of Killann then thought 'to supply O'Reilly of Tomeregie and his winsome

A Breffney War Goddess is supposed to have made the peculiar deep ravine situated on the Bailieboro side of Killann Old Church. Tradition is silent as to the reason for the making of this steep sided valley.
Clankies was a name applied to the warriors who lived in this area some three and four hundred years ago. The name, used by the pale's men is derived from the self name- Clankee. It was customary for three hardy hillmen to raid the pale to their south. It is also likely that they were paid black rent from the planters as was done to O'Neill of the Jews and to the chiefs of Wicklow.
Woods Killann like most of the centre of Ireland was well wooded in former times. In fact most of the countryside was covered with trees. This can be proved by the presence of tree trunks in all the local bogs and also by the placenames. One townland 'Derry' must have been covered with an oak wood at some previous time. At the present time where is not even one oak tree and few trees of any variety to be seen in the neighbourhood. Even say fifty years ago the countryside was better wooded than at present for old men can point out places where there were trees

The teacher asked her to say her prayers the first day in school. She said the Our Father and Hail Mary but failed in the Creed ("Tadhg didn't murder them with prayers") She was put into First Class until she'd have the Creed. That evening she got a Prayer-book and "as she was well able to read" she learned every bit of it at home that night. Next morning she went off with her Creed and twopence for her new Second Book."The school wasn't then where it is now. 'Twas on the lower side of the road near the 'old chapel'" she said. Kingwilliamstown was under Dunscombe and he was a "great tall good-looking" man. Here she recited an old ballad (couldn't recall author) If you stand in Glencollins you'd view all its prime
Along the Blackwater up to sweet Meenganine
Where Diana the Goddess of Hunting resides
In the groves that are near the bright mansionThe mansion was the Royal Arms Hotel where Dunscombe and his friends stayed when they came fowling or fishing around the moors or along the river.

as gentle as the fawn
That roves oer Desmonds rocky cliffs or the heights of loved Gougane
No goddess rare in Grecian lay could her fair form surpass
My winsome rogue my Maírín Óg, my Inchigeela Lass.
III
Eveleary ah how sweet the name sounds in an exile's ears
Though Ive not seen your heath clad hills for close on twenty years
Where I first met my heart's delight twas a Sunday morning at Mass
As I knelt to pray in that chapel there with My Inchigeela Lass
IV
She tripped along the Lee's green banks one Sunday afternoon
Her nimble feet kept timing with the

Curiosity led a young native of Erin
To view the gay banks of the Rhine
An empress he saw and the robe she was wearing
All over with diamonds did shineNo Goddess so splendid was ever yet seen
To equal that fair maid so mild and serene
In soft murmurs she cried, my linnet so green
You are gone shall I e'er see you moreThe cold frosty Alps you freely passed over
Which nature had placed in your way
At ... all round you did hover
All Paris rejoiced the next day.It grieves me the hardships you did undergo
The mountains you traversed, all covered with snow.

With my spirits recruited I approached with confusion
And gently saluted that sorrowflect fair
She said Sir Pass by me & dont tantalise me
For by love I am destined to repine in these shades.So with clear condension & sweet smiling features
She said Sir be seated 'neath those lovely green bowers
As I am no Goddess but a plain country maiden
Who sallies forth early to gather some flowers.
She's charming she's musing she's chased & she'd soothing
A model of beauty & blessed by the day
And so I met this fair Phoenix the pride of Old Erin
We will her no name but the Dear Irish Maid

"Pal goddess, by thy ray serene
I fondly tread the level green
Where Lee serenely rolls
His smooth and ample tide,
'Mid fields in flowers profuse
And woody knolls,
Thy silver lamp my guide."
The following is a verse from a poem on the river Lee translated from the Irish of Eoghan McCarth, written in 1746, and in reply to one which claimed superiority in beauty for the river Tweed
"Ye bards who together agreed
To laud the small riverlet Tweet,
Had you lavished your praise on the Lee,
You had merited poetry's muse
Its winding and silvery

My course to the South I did steer.
When a charming young maid tall and slender,
I met near the town of Dunleer.
II
I stood in extreme constenation
At length a few words I did say
"Bright angel, is your appellation
The matchless sweet Goddess of May
Have you from Parnessus descended.
In this smiling time of the year.
To rove through those groves that extended,
All around the sweet "town of Dunleer"

Note:- There are some omissions in this version, while the arrangement of the lines may not be in accordance with poetic rules."Being on one morning for recreation - - - -
Down by the New Chapel I chanced to stray;
I met a creature, the pride of nature,
Who appeared to me like the Queen of May.
Her jet-black hair all in plaited tresses,
Hung o'er her shoulders like Holland twine:
And this lovely fair, did my heart ensnare;
And I am sure her equal is not in all Donaghmoyne.With love impelling my bosom swelling
I stopped to ask her what was her name.
Are you Aurora, or Sweet Pandora or the Goddess Flora that fragrance yields?
Or are you terrestrial or celestial deity
That's lately sprung from Elysian fields?'Kind Sir', she says 'now do not taze me or tantalise me with such renown.