Fairy Funeral
‘I know you don’t believe in fairies. I don’t believe in them myself. Though they’re there. Just the same!
Fews Glossary: B
Babbed :closed : A nivir babbed an eye the live-long night!Babblement: nonsense: Stop…
Fews Glossary A, 2
Allowance: permission: I can’t give you that allowance.All sorts: a severe scolding, heavily: …
Cosgrave: Yew Tree at head of Strand
‘The Yew Tree at the Head of the Strand’ was published in 2001…
Cal Mor Caraher
The 18th century had its own crop of rapparees or highwaymen.
At the Summer Assizes of 1735 one Macklin, a famous horse-thief ‘went down the nine steps’, as was said in Armagh of those on whom the death penalty was passed. These led to the condemned cells below the Sessions House in Market Street.
Oliver Plunkett
Before he was himself raised to the Archbishopric of Armagh, Thomas O’Fiaich wrote about his illustrious predecessor Oliver Plunkett – one of only two Irishmen raised to sainthood by the Vatican [the other being Laurence O’Toole, church reformer of the late twelfth century].
Frontier Town: Canavan
The research and writing of ‘Frontier Town : An illustrated History of Newry’…
Oxtercogged with Fairies
‘Grimes oxtercogged [went arm in arm, was intimate] with the fairies often. He’d…
Redmond O’Hanlon Fooled!
The government posted notices from 1674 onwards for the capture, dead or alive, of Redmond O’Hanlon. He waylaid a simple lad who was on his way to town to bring home a large sum of money for his master. The lad knew that Redmond was awaiting his return on the road.
Seamus MacMurphy
Best-known local outlaw of the 18th century was Seamus MacMurphy of Creggan Parish in South Armagh. His ancestors were the earliest chieftains of The Fews on record.
