The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Knockfeerina

Sacred Hill

Folklore

Knuck Fierna.
The hill of the fairies. This is the loftiest mountain in the county abovenamed, and lifts its double peak on the Southern side, pretty accurately, I believe, dividing it from Cork. Numberless are the tales related of this hill by the carmen who have been benighted near it on their return from the latter city, which is the favourite market for the produce of their dairies. That there is a Siobrug or fairy castle in the Mount, no one in his senses presumes to entertain a doubt. On the summit of the highest peak is an unfathomable well, which is held in very great veneration by the peasantry. It is by some supposed to be the entrance to the court of their tiny mightinesses. A curious fellow at one time had the hardihood to cast a stone down the orifice; and then casting himself on his face and hands, and leaning over the brink, waited to ascertain the falsity of this supposition by the reverberation, which he doubted not would soon be occasioned by the missile reaching the bottom. But he met with a fate scarce less tragical than that of poor Pug, who set fire to the match of a cannon, and then must needs run to the mouth to see the shot go off. Our speculator had his messenger returned to him with a force that broke the bridge of his nose, locked up both his eyes, and sent him down the hill at the rate of four furlongs per second, at the foot of which he was found senseless next morning.
From The Literary Gazette v8, 1824.
A much longer version is told in 'Fairy Legends and Traditions' by Thomas Crofton Croker (1825).
Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
3rd December 2012ce
Edited 3rd December 2012ce

Comments (3)

Odd that Croker should translate it as Hill of fairies , Hill of truth is much more likely . tiompan Posted by tiompan
4th December 2012ce
Ah clever - he does indeed call it the hill of truth (right at the top of the link). The literary gazette article isn't by him you see. And newspapers don't let truth get in the way of a good story now do they? Rhiannon Posted by Rhiannon
4th December 2012ce
of course , I read Croker when it it was really Literary Gazette . tiompan Posted by tiompan
4th December 2012ce
You must be logged in to add a comment