SCHOOL: An Faithche | ADDRESS: Feamore, Fahy, Co. Galway
There is a field called Balloons about a quarter of a mile east of my house. Mr. Carr owns it now; it contains eighteen acres of good land while it is usually used as a meadow.
There is a bank all round it with whitethorn bushes and willows growing on the top. It is a square field with a murmuring stream running at one end.
It was called that name because lights were seen there which appeared like balloons.
It is that the foundation of seven churches was laid there when a red-haired woman was seen hovering about and as this was regarded as an ill omen the work of building was abandoned.
An old graveyard is situated at the end of it where it is said that hundreds of people were buried the time of the famine in the year 1847. It was not consecrated.
There is a liss in a corner where it is said fairies sometimes dance in a ring about midnight.
Olive Reynolds,
Feamore,
Eyrecourt.
16-3-’38.
From
John Reynolds,
Feamore,
Eyrecourt.Age 60 years.
Bibliography
“The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0056, Page 0226” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.