Local History and Folklore

Local history and folklore is a subject upon which, I feel, it is difficult in the extreme to present authorative facts. The origin of the stories can be a little obscure because of the nature of its survival, dependent largely on word of mouth. Some of the written stories are obviously highly imaginative, and when one sifts through the sometimes entertainingly colourful verbiage, one finds very little historical substance there.

Stories handed on by word of mouth were continually being added to or modified, depending on the imagination and loquacity of the storyteller. Also one finds similar threads running through local history stories in different localities. This combined with the scarcity of ruins or artifacts to support a particular piece of folklore makes the veracity of some local history somewhat uncertain.

To believe some of the stories one would need to believe in fairy tales. There are of course exceptions, where stories are well documented and ancient ruins, holy-wells etc exist to support the

So many of us were captivated in our childhood by fairy and ghost stories told around the open fire during the long winter months. When I came to Oughterard in 1967 I set about collecting folklore from the old people. Some of the stories might be of interest to the visitors to this website

Inis Sean Bó

The O fflaherties, whose tribal name was Muintir Mhurchadha, first settled on the east of Lough Corrib. They were driven to the western shores of the lake by the O Connors, who were near kinsmen. Here they conquered a fast new territory for themselves, from Corrib to the sea. The family split into several septs.

Inis Sean Bó- the “Island of the Old Cow”: It is so called because of the legend associated with it. Diarmuid na Loch, a chieftain of the O fflaherties, not well known in the history annals but famous in local folklore, was driven by the O Connors west. At sundown he found himself with his followers at the foot of the fairy hill-Cnoc Meá (outside Tuam.) He was mindful of the “Good People” or the “Gentry” who occupied this venerated spot so he showed them every respect possible and in return, “Finvara”, the king of the fairies came to O fflahertie in his sleep (so legend says) and warned him to make his way to the western shore so that his wife and his infant son would be safe. O fflahertie was no fool so away across the lake he fled with his wife, child and his followers. When they reached Inis Sean Bó he soon heard that in escaping from O Connors he was only making his way to fiercer enemies, the outrageous Joyce’s. He left his wife and child on the island, went back and collected his followers and went to meet his new enemies, the Joyce’s.

He had abandoned his family for a much longer period than he intended. They would have both starved to death but for the assistance of the “Good People”. Just when the poor woman was giving up all hope of assistance with her infant crying out piteously for want of nourishment, a splendid white cow came out of the lake and walked up the shore. The poor lady was alarmed until the beast pushed his soft nose into her hand and made a sign indicating that it would be no great harm to milk her. From that day forward until O fflahertie returned from fighting there was plenty of milk for the woman and her child

When O fflahertie returned he set out to take care of the beast but no trace of her could be found and legend has it that it walked back into the lake it came out of and into fairyland beyond.

The Fairy Bridge ( Pucky Bridge)

It was believed that a serpent from the lake used to cross by tunnel through Lemonfield bog to the graveyard. There he ate the bodies of the dead. Mrs Mc Donagh from Glann died. She had three sons, two were married and one remained single. Reamonn, who was single, vowed that the serpent would not eat his mother’s body so sword in hand he went to the graveyard to kill the serpent. He went into the old church in the graveyard to pray as he waited the coming of the serpent. He had a vision in which an angel appeared to him and ordered him to behead the serpent in one blow, not to draw his sword twice. If even one drop of blood fell on his finger, or hand, or foot, he was to amputate that limb immediately.

After a short time Reamonn heard a noise. As soon as the serpent pushed his head in the church window, he raised the sword and with one blow he beheaded the serpent. Blood spouted from the serpent and a drop fell on Reamonn’s hand. He immediately cut off his own finger with his sword. The serpent spoke and asked him to strike a second time and to kill him outright as he was in great pain. Reamonn wouldn’t oblige him as he remembered the words of the angel.

He mounted his horse and rode up the old road ( Tonwee) to Glann. He met by a strange woman. She followed him until he reached a stream. Here the woman was unable to cross the stream – fairy power. The wooden bridge here was known from then on as “The Fairy Bridge”.

Reamonn died a few days later and on his tombstone in the graveyard one can see a picture of a sword. I have never located this tombstone.

Men working in the bog later discovered the serpent’s tunnel in Lemonfield. It was as wide as a bucket.

According to legend this event took place in 1812.

Local lore from 1937 Folklore Commission collected by 6th class pupils

Tobar Chuimín

The well is situated in Páirc an Tobair (now Mc Donnell’s field at Wellfield). On the 13th of October long ago, people came here on pilgrimages. They walked in a circle around the well reciting the rosary. When they were finished praying they threw pennies into the well. The pennies were removed and given to the priests who offered masses. Many people were cured at the well according to tradition.

During Penal Times the well was closed on the order of an English man named “Flight”. When he died the well was reopened but not as many people now came on pilgrimage. When it was reopened three round stones were found in the well. The old people believed the stones were put there, unnoticed by “Flight”so that the people would not lose sight of the well.

Members of the Salvation Army lived in Wellfield House. Tradition has it that they tried to fill the well with stones. No matter how many stones they put in the well, the water always came through.

They also tried to boil the water but no matter what the intensity of the fire was and no matter how long they left the kettle on the fire, the water would not boil.

A blind person had their sight restored with water from the well. In 1832 famine and fever raged in Oughterard. People destroyed a tree that grew beside the well by cutting pieces of the tree believing they would be cured by touching the wood.