Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 29, 1918.djvu/317

Rh harvest at Cliara, where, however, my harvest was only less extensive. It may be that the low shore, with its endless creeks, was more bound up with the interests of the inhabitants than the great ramparts and bastions, six to nine hundred feet high, and only pierced by three bays, along the edge of Tirawley and Erris. I did not work out the endless whale-backed islands of Clew Bay, where the names are fairly abundant, and the low featureless shore of the southern half of the Mullet may possibly have lent itself to little nomenclature.

Perhaps the oldest local legend, here as in Co. Clare, is that of the sons of Huamore, a tribe of the Firbolg, contemporaries of Queen Medb and the Red Branch heroes at the beginning of our era. To it the Aran forts, Dun Aengusa and Dun Chonchobair, with, perhaps, the river Dail and Murbach in Mayo and Tawinloch on Cliara, or Tawin (in Galway Bay) owe their names. Of the same great cycle of tales of Flidais and Fergus and his compeers we find trace at Dun Fiachrach, Dunaneanir, Duncarton and Dundonnell; round Belmullet and Duniver in Achill. The second epic cycle, that of Finn, gives the names of the Seefins and Knockaveen (cnoc na bh Fian, hill of the Fiana).

Famous cows, the "Boruad," the "Glasgeivnagh," and the "Bofinn" have an echo in "Brian Boru's well" on Ardillan. Dunnaglas fort and Bealaglas channel between the Achills (probably only "Green pass") and Inisbofinn. Altnapeastia, the cliff of the peist, or sea dragon; Lugnademon, the demon's hollow; Owennaphuca (near Omey), Foheraphuca (in Achill) and Sochaunaphuca (Cliara) stream, cliff, and lakelet, of the Púca, the elfish horse, or goat fiend; Greatman's Bay, Cuanphirmorea; the Big man's leap, Leamanirvore and the Leap of Geodruisge and those of "Eanir" and Fiachra's sea horse in the Mullet; various sidh (fairies or fairy mound) names and Ooghnasheefroge (fairies' creek) in the Mullet; and I hear there is a Fear brega rock near Dunfeeny in north Mayo. The Boughil rocks are called from petrified boys, at Inishturk and