School: Killea (roll number 3219)

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1. How Killea Got Its Name

   

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   How Killea got its name
   The school to which I go is in the townland of Killea, or in Irish [Irish], which means "grey wood." There is a very interesting story connected with how it got its name and the story is as follows - There was a man and woman living together in a house in an "alt" in Killea. An "alt in this locality means a deep ravine in a mountain with a river flow through it. This couple were very poor and could not afford to keep a cow. Instead they kept a goat to give them milk. Every evening when the woman of the house went to bring home the goat to milk her she got her grazing on some of their neighbour's land. They thought of a plan to keep the goat from thieving. There was a tree growing some few yards from the house and to this tree they tied the goat with a long rope. One day in the harvest they were busy working at the hay and it was late night-fall when the woman came for the goat. As she was approaching the tree she heard a light tap-tap of someone working with a hammer. After listening attentively for some time she came to the conclusion that the sound came from behind the tree. To satisfy her curiosity she stole softly along and peeped round the tree. There sat a little lepreuchan repairing a tiny pair of shoes. The woman caught him and held him tightly. Then

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Location

   An Choill Léith, Co. Liatroma

   Collector

   Nellie Gallagher

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   An Gleann Caol, Co. Liatroma

   Informant

   Patrick Rourke

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Gort na Dairbhre, Co. Liatroma