Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/217

 Collectanea. 185

ford Oscar ran to meet him, and, after a fierce fight, cut off his head. He sprinkled the blood over each of his warriors save one, and they were at once free. The last, however, had to be pulled off, tearing off all his skin, to replace which they used the raw skin of a sheep which grew on to him and the patient recovered, but they used to shear seven stone of wool off him every year ! I found no Finn tales in the Islands.

The Giants.

Legends of the giants have at least a respectable antiquity in this district, for one of them has found a place in the Life of St. Patrick, as told in the Book of Armagh. The saint had come into the territory of MacEarca, in Dichuil and Aurchuil, in Co. Mayo, when he reached a huge sepulchre his followers refused to beheve that any man of corresponding size had ever lived, so Patrick raised its occupant from the dead. He was a cowherd of Lugir, a king contemporary with King Cairbre a century before, and, though his aspect was so terrible that none could bear to look on him, he humbly thanked Patrick for having released him, even for a moment, fron the " ever- lasting bonfire." The saint assured the monster that if he only believed and was baptized he should return to happiness. The pagan needed little argument after his fearful experience, was admitted to the faith and died at once. The promontory forts are frequently connected with giants, we have noted the tales of the giant Geodruisge (Deodruisc or Johdhrick) at Downpatrick and Dunbriste; ^ Kirtaan, at Duncarton; Fiachra, at Dun Fiachrach ; Eanir (Ean Fhir), at Dunaneanir and Darrig (Dearg), at Dunadearg,^ near Port na Francagh. In the remarkable triple headland fort, the Dun and Dangan of Kilmore, on Achillbeg ^ I heard of two giant brothers who lived respectively in the two first-named forts. One always remained on guard, but, in the dim evening light, he saw a monstrous

^ Supra, vol. xxvii. p. 226.

'Roy. Soc. Antt. Ir. vol. xlii. pp. 103, 197, 205, 209.

'^ Proc. Roy. Ir. Acad. vol. xxix. (c), p. 29; Roy. Soc. And. Ir. vol. xliv. P- 313-