The stories told on these pages are from  a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. 
The children recorded (over&nbsp740,000 handwritten pages) of this material from their parents, grandparents and neighbours.

These are their stories in their own words.

St. Patrick and the Bull


SCHOOL: Achadh Fobhair | ADDRESS: Aghagower, Co. Mayo


Saint Patrick and the Bull. Proud Irish Heritage.
Saint Patrick and the Bull

When St Patrick came to Aughagower he intended to build a house. He got a lot of workmen and he was looking for some beast to kill to give food to the workmen.

There was a very bad pagan living in Mountbrown. He had a cross bull and he gave the bull to St. Patrick thinking that the bull would kill St Patrick or anyone who went near him.

St Patrick sent one of his workmen for the bull.

The pagan was full of anger when he saw the bull walking quiet before the workman. W

hen the bull was killed and eaten St. Patrick told his workmen to put the bones of the bull into the skin and to put it up carefully.

Some time after the pagan came to St. Patrick and demanded his bull from him.

St Patrick got the bones and the skins and on touching them with his rod they were changed into the bull again. St Patrick told the pagan to take away the bull.

The pagan had not gone far when the bull turned on him and gored him to death.


Bibliography

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0088E, Page 03_006” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

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