Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 25, 1914.djvu/410

 378 Collectanea.

out the Danes. Compare this with Senaivs revenge on Richard de Clare, 13 18 (vol. xxiv. p. 374).

Mr. R. Twigge, F.S.A., gave me the following interesting early folk-tale about King Donaldmore (Domhnall mor) O'Brien in 1 194. It is found in one of the Bodleian MSS. (Laud 614 fo. loS), "Fragments of Historic, translated out of an old Irish MS., in the custodie of Florence MacCartie." The extracts end about 1440. Florence was twice imprisoned in the Tower of London, 1589-1591 and 1601-1626; he was a good scholar and accomiilished man.

Telling of the burial of Domhnall O'Brien, King of Munster, died 1 194-5, it adds : " As the funeral procession was wending its way carrying his corse for burial, two monks met the corse and company at a place called Bearnenaghtry (? Bernach Echtge, a pass in Slieve Auchty), and lifted the corse upon them from those who carried it ; and passing through that sharde or pass [in the hill] a blaste of wynde carried them and the corse out of sight \ and never since could it be knowne what became of him or them."

For the " Soul cage " myth and note in vol. xxii., p. 450, note 6, I have again failed to find the tale extant near Dunbeg. I never met any similar one along the W. and S. coast from Donegal to Wexford. See North Mu7ister Arch(zoL Soc. vol. iii. p. 122.

Vol. xxii. p. 54. — Foiindatioti Sacrifices. Several cases of such with human victims are mentioned in early authorities. Those at Emania Fort in Cormac's Glossary^ arite 902, and at Tailti.

A skeleton was found in the wall of Dun Conor, and apparent sepulchral cists in the ramparts of the promontory forts of Cash- launicrobin in Tirawley, and Bunnafahy in Achil, both in Co. Mayo. The remarkable case in Nennius of a child offered at the making of a fort is well known. This has been strangely borne out in recent excavations in France {Soc. Frchist. Francatse, tome x. p. 700) where was found a skeleton of a child, aged about seven ; of an adult (the head cut off and placed on a stone slab laid on the thorax and in a built cell), and the skull of a. young child, the face turned inwards, all in the middle of the rampart.

The Life of St. Cellach gives a transitional stage, the slaying of swine, on digging the fort of Dunfine in Co. Sligo or Co. Mayo.

Thos. J. Westropp.