There's a bit of an argument going on in Waterford between an American Pharmaceutical company and local historians...the Americans are building a new factory and have declared their plans to raze a local ring-fort to the ground because it's in the way...
Had that been the idea of a local farmer, all hell would have broken loose among the local big-wigs...not that any self-respecting Irish farmer would demolish a ring fort in the first place...he'd be far too afraid of the consequences.
Unfortunately, the man who has been the most vocal in his concern was described as ' Story teller and local friend of the Fairy' by the press...oh please...I do so wish that the media wouldn't make people out to be dippy when they're anything but. His photograph was taken from an angle which achieved the effect of making him look as mad as a bag of wet cats...all long hair and wild eyed.
I've written often enough about the ring forts...there isn't much to see...simply a circle of a man-made earthen bank is all that remains of most of the ring-forts in Ireland. Most of the banks now have trees growing from them so what you see as you drive past is a circle of mature trees...
When they were in use they were simply small farms...there'd have probably been a wooden fence on top of the earthen bank, not to keep people out, but to keep the animals in. A single storey timber house with a roof thatched with reeds... this was home to a couple of families.
The West of Ireland has the most ring-forts...the rest of Ireland has them, but they tend to be scattered.
Very few have ever been excavated...there are simply too many, but there are exceptions, for instance the one just down the road from us was excavated prior to the new by-pass being built...amber beads were unearthed which indicates some trading went on...fragments of later pottery were also found along with the usual sheep and pig bones from the communal hearth.
It's known they were still in use here until the end of the fifteenth century and maybe even later in some areas...
But folklore decrees that ring-forts have the entrance to the Other World concealed within them...those great marble halls where the Tuatha de Danaan lie sleeping...their swords by their side. You'll recognise the parallel tale of King Arthur and his Knights... and there's an ancient Japanese tale which is virtually identical...
There are literally hundreds of stories about the people who fell asleep in a ring fort and woke a hundred years later...
Getting back to the Faerie though...it needs to be remembered they can be spiteful and are quick enough to seek revenge if man destroys or damages their homes...the ring forts. So anyone daft enough to call their bluff and plough one into the soil or send in a bull-dozer to lay a concrete car park needs to be aware.
Where did the stories about being the home of the Faerie originate...probably from the frequency of the souterainns found in the majority of ring forts...those long narrow tunnels once used for storing foodstuffs in the winter. Easy enough to visualise those tunnels as leading down into the core of the earth itself, where you'd find yourself plied with honeyed cakes and sweet wine until your wits had gone completely...
For those of us who have a strong belief in something beyond our ken, the thought of vandalising the home of Faerie beings is regarded with something akin to pure horror...
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Why not try to get them listed Vashti? That would cause some problems for developers! In the 16c in England the existance of fairies in every way of life ( town and countryside) was simoly accepted as fact. As you said, they were not the fluffy little disney creations but creatures who could be malevolent and needed constant appeasing. A little plate would be left on the fireplace containing little biscuits (the origin of fairy cakes) and a tiny container with ale or mead. It was hoped that if the fairies came calling they would find the treats and look kindly on the household.
Woe betide any developer who destroys the home of the fairie beings!
in reply to
Not dainty little people in sparkly frocks waving wands about...heaven forbid!
I didn't know that about fairy cakes...learnt something new.
I wonder what will happen to those who excavated the Faerie fort? Or the developers responsible for the new road? I would be nervous about using the road.
Nora Roberts is an author who has written many books about the magic of Ireland.
I think she would be interested to hear of the recent developments.
Yes, her books are rather formulaic. I just thought as Ireland seems to be her bread and butter she might be supportive.
It's 3.18 Saturday morning. ..
Waking up in a cold sweat 2 hours ago from some nightmare and not able to go back to sleep. ...... things going round and round in head...your post and the reply brought a bit of humour into this long night.
Since we were born...no matter what part of the world. ..We all been subjected to believes that of course are just fiction and fairy tales.
When my sweet 5 year old daughter had her first tooth come out I told that she must put it under her pillow and when she asleep and ..........
Been a bright girl she looked at me like I was stupid and a bit disheartened that I was her dad and laughing she says
...daddy there no such thing as a tooth fairly and what would anyone do with a tooth.
I quickly replied....honey of course there are tooth fairy's and they give you money for your tooth. They clean it and polish it so it like a pearl and make this like pearl necklace and..........
I like fairly tales.
Ho well its 4.17 time to get up.
Thanks for the giving my brain a rest.
😙😙😙😙😙😙😙
in reply to
If it were still early summer you'd have heard the dawn chorus...nightmares are horrible.
You also reminded me when I was in Waterford. I was in the merchant navy I was 17 then .46 years ago but I could never forget carmel I think that was her name.
My ship the St Andrea was dock up the river as far up you can go to the bridge.
I was on deck when the river turned from calm to roaring...I was stunned and for moment thought it was the end of the world.
This marvellous sight turned out to be Salmon in their hundreds of thousands going up river to sporn.
This must of gone on for about 10 minutes...Some of the sailors from our ship caught some but we bought a lot from the guys that where fishing by the bridge. ....well we exchanged cigarettes for salmon.
Cigarette are tax free on ships. We paid
10 shillings. .10 bob for londoners.. that's 25 new pence for 200 cigarettes.
I made a bit of money by Saling them on at 30 bob.
Good night people
😪
in reply to
That must have been a tremendous sight to see...most Salmon is farmed now, mores the pity.
Many of the ones in good condition are listed Margaret...trouble is that there are just as many that have never been properly photographed or surveyed...
Faeries - they do say that they can be naughty, whether you believe in them or not !
My story about Waterford (from where my tribe originally came) is about when I had to join a coaster ship there 48 years ago, to earn some money to go to school for my 2nd Mate's license. I arrived about 6:00 PM and the town was very busy. The ship was not due to arrive until 6:00 AM the next day, so I had to get a hotel or B&B. Unfortunately, it was race week and everywhere, including the pubs was full, so I went to the local police station, explained my situation and asked if I could have a bed for the night without smashing a shop window. The sergeant behind the desk said that he didn't know whether they were going to be busy that night and I should check back at 10:00 PM. That's when I asked how many blokes were working that night (5) and what time did they have their station break (10:00 PM), and so returned at 10 with 6 fish and chip suppers. I got a bed for the night in the cells and a cup of tea and a biscuit in the morning! Lovely people.
Yesterday, I had the preliminary discussion by phone with the Brompton Hospital, regarding the upcoming trials of coils and valves for lung volume reduction surgery. At the end of the month I go there to be checked again for suitability and, if lucky, will become one of the test subjects for lung valves to be inserted. These block off the parts of the lungs that are not working properly, to ensure that your intake of air only goes to the areas that do work. The chance of trapped air in the areas that don't work is reduced, and this reduces the feelings that you aren't getting enough and start hyperventilating. All in all, your use of the good parts of your lungs that are left is improved; you can walk much further before getting temporarily breathless, and life improves in leaps and bounds. World peace and free beer on Fridays follow.
Good for them - too much of our history has been lost already. America has no history - as such, that's why they have no respect for ours when they want to build stuff.
We have lost touch. Earlier ages afforded people space and time to interact with other worlds and their beings. Everything is human today, all too human.
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