A Stray Sod
One night Peter Flanagan was coming home from a house. He crossed the fields home. In this field there were a lot of cattle. He was walking for three miles of the field and could not find a gate. Every yard of the field he would walk he would see a big heap of bushes in front of him. He was there until morning.
Dromin, Co.Louth
NFCS 0669: 023
One night Peter Flanagan was coming home from a house. He crossed the fields home. In this field there were a lot of cattle. He was walking for three miles of the field and could not find a gate. Every yard of the field he would walk he would see a big heap of bushes in front of him. He was there until morning.
Dromin, Co.Louth
NFCS 0669: 023
Fairies
Outside Ballynacargy, in the Milltown direction, about two years ago, there was a man named Kelly coming home one night about 12 o'clock from rambling. He had to come through Gibney's fort, and he must have put his foot on the stray sod for no matter which way he turned he could not reach his own house, although he could plainly see it, down in the fields.
At last he found himself at the door of a neighbour named Martin. A fairly wide river was in his way, but he crossed it somehow, he did not remember himself doing so.
Kildallan, Co.West Meath
NFCS 0740: 142
Outside Ballynacargy, in the Milltown direction, about two years ago, there was a man named Kelly coming home one night about 12 o'clock from rambling. He had to come through Gibney's fort, and he must have put his foot on the stray sod for no matter which way he turned he could not reach his own house, although he could plainly see it, down in the fields.
At last he found himself at the door of a neighbour named Martin. A fairly wide river was in his way, but he crossed it somehow, he did not remember himself doing so.
Kildallan, Co.West Meath
NFCS 0740: 142
Fóidín Mearbhaill
Is minic amuigh ar an sléibh nuair a bhíonn duine in dhiaidh na gcaorach go dtigeann an aicíd air. Na daoine seo a bhíonn cleachtuighthe ar an sléibh tig leó a mbealach a dhéanamh abhaile, is cuma an oidhche nó lá é. Mar sin féin téigheann duine amudha ar uairibh. Ceapann sé go bhfuil sé ag dul an bealach ceart, acht in áit sin tá sé ag dul thart i bhfáinne, agus ní bhíonn sé in don a bhealach do dhéanamh amach. Bíonn sé ag dul thart, agus ag dul thart go mbíonn sé sáruighthe, agus lag leis an ocras, agus bíonn air luighe síos. Is minic gur siocar bais dhuine é.
Creideann na daoine go bhfuil lámh ag na daoine maithe ar an rud seo, gur b amhlaidh a cuireann siad an duine amuda in aon torus.
Tá daoine eile a chreideann go fuil fód aithrid ann, agus ma sheasann duine air go dtéigheann sé amudha. Tá tuairim ag na daoinibh comh mhaith, má iompuigheann duine a chóta an taobh amuigh istig go mbéidh sé in don a bhealach a dhéanamh abhaile.
Poll an tSómais, Co.Mayo
NFCS 0130: 520
A Stray Sod
Some time ago there were two old men on their céilidhe in a neighbour's house. At about 11 oclock they started to go home each going their own way. They were about two hours parted when they met again some distance from the house they had left. One of them were on the top of a calf-shed, and the other in a meadow. They knew each other again, and seeing a light in the distance, they decided to go there. They were met on the road by a neighbour who put them right for home. It was said afterwards that they got on a stray sod. The same men saw about twelve ladies dressed in white dancing in a field before them one right at about a eleven oclock. They went on the road before them until they came to a stream, and then they disappeared. They were called Fairies or the good-people and the old people always said "God speed them"
Adoon, Co.Leitrim
NFCS 0222: 291
Some time ago there were two old men on their céilidhe in a neighbour's house. At about 11 oclock they started to go home each going their own way. They were about two hours parted when they met again some distance from the house they had left. One of them were on the top of a calf-shed, and the other in a meadow. They knew each other again, and seeing a light in the distance, they decided to go there. They were met on the road by a neighbour who put them right for home. It was said afterwards that they got on a stray sod. The same men saw about twelve ladies dressed in white dancing in a field before them one right at about a eleven oclock. They went on the road before them until they came to a stream, and then they disappeared. They were called Fairies or the good-people and the old people always said "God speed them"
Adoon, Co.Leitrim
NFCS 0222: 291
Fairy-Lore
...my father spoke frequently to us of the "stray sod" of the Manor (the Manor is a townland two miles from Johnstown school.) He said it was of rather frequent occurrence that a belated homeward bound peasant or farmer, having to cross the "Manor fields" found them turned into a pathless, unfamiliar wilderness, by reason of that unlucky stray sod which his unwary feet encountered. Morning alone brought relief and sense of direction to the perspiring, weary, footsore victim of the "The Manor's fairy sod."
Though these tiny denizens of the fairy raths were merely mischievous, and not baleful, the people did not care to encounter them, a fact which allowed the gruesome traffic in dead bodies to go on unchecked. Bodies were needed for post-mortem examination so that medical science might advance, and the "sack em ups" as these who pursued this awful avocation were called later on, could deliver their grim cargo unmolested. If they chanced to meet a benighted traveller, they passed silently as the fairy headless horses, and headless drivers - it required but little disguise to deceive the unsophisticated.
Yellow Furze, Co.Meath
NFCS 0684: 275
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Story - ''A Stray Sod''
One night Micky Lennon, an old soldier was coming from his ceilidhe [ie céilí]. He stopped on the top of a hill to light his pipe. He started off again for home as he thought, but instead he took the opposite way. He went down the Hallow Road and soon thought he was home. He sat down and took off his boots and stocking in preparation for bed. When he stood up to get into bed as he thought he got a prod of a thorn and then he realized he was just going into a bog hole instead of into bed. He dressed himself again and when on - not knowing where he was and finally arrived in a neighbour’s street – three miles away. It was then he knew where he was.
Ballymunterhiggin, Co.Donegal
NFCS 1026: 222- 223
...my father spoke frequently to us of the "stray sod" of the Manor (the Manor is a townland two miles from Johnstown school.) He said it was of rather frequent occurrence that a belated homeward bound peasant or farmer, having to cross the "Manor fields" found them turned into a pathless, unfamiliar wilderness, by reason of that unlucky stray sod which his unwary feet encountered. Morning alone brought relief and sense of direction to the perspiring, weary, footsore victim of the "The Manor's fairy sod."
Though these tiny denizens of the fairy raths were merely mischievous, and not baleful, the people did not care to encounter them, a fact which allowed the gruesome traffic in dead bodies to go on unchecked. Bodies were needed for post-mortem examination so that medical science might advance, and the "sack em ups" as these who pursued this awful avocation were called later on, could deliver their grim cargo unmolested. If they chanced to meet a benighted traveller, they passed silently as the fairy headless horses, and headless drivers - it required but little disguise to deceive the unsophisticated.
Yellow Furze, Co.Meath
NFCS 0684: 275
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Story - ''A Stray Sod''
One night Micky Lennon, an old soldier was coming from his ceilidhe [ie céilí]. He stopped on the top of a hill to light his pipe. He started off again for home as he thought, but instead he took the opposite way. He went down the Hallow Road and soon thought he was home. He sat down and took off his boots and stocking in preparation for bed. When he stood up to get into bed as he thought he got a prod of a thorn and then he realized he was just going into a bog hole instead of into bed. He dressed himself again and when on - not knowing where he was and finally arrived in a neighbour’s street – three miles away. It was then he knew where he was.
Ballymunterhiggin, Co.Donegal
NFCS 1026: 222- 223
