Page:West Irish folk-tales and romances - William Larminie.djvu/283



Page 1. The “Gloss Gavlen” means simply the Grey (cow) of the Smith, gavlen being properly gavnen—(gaibhnenn) according to O'Donovan. The first part of the story has no real connection with the second. The, meaning the Smith-builder, was the famous mythic architect, to whom was attributed the erection of various actual edifices,—of which I can only recall at present the Round Tower of Killala. The latter part of the narrative is a genuine folk-reminiscence of some of the most striking characters and events in the oldest Irish mythology. (Bemann) was the leader of the, the powers of darkness and evil, in the great , fought near Sligo, in which they were defeated by , Balar's daughter's son, also called Ildauna—that is “of all arts and sciences,” the Irish Apollo, or culture-hero. Of this name, the appellation of Dul Dauna, the Blind-Stubborn, here bestowed on him, appears to be a curious corruption. It is interesting to compare the whole of this account with that found by O'Donovan in Donegal. (See note to Annals of the Four Masters—year of the world 3330.) It contains no reference to the education by, the sea-god. It represents the Gloss as originally the property of the smith, Gavida, which appears to be correct.

Page 5. “,” in the modern county of Roscommon, being separated from the nearest part of Ulster by the county of Leitrim, we gain an idea of what a formidable task it was to herd the Gloss. There is no mention of Ulster in the Irish version, but McGinty told me the lake was in that province. Rh