47 



The name Balfinglass in VVicklow is simply the " green hill of 

 the Baal fircs/^ and at Baal in the county Mayo, there is a 

 Fons Beleni or fountain of Baal."**^ The river Mersey, or as 

 some say the Ribble, was anciently called Belisama, from Bela- 

 samain (the queen of heaven) who was no doubt worshipped 

 on its banks in the sacred territory of the Cornavii. 



The traditionary legends respecting places, tell us of giants, 

 wizards, dragons, fairies, and monsters. The Giants' Cause- 

 way, according to lore of this kind, is the path by which the 

 mighty men of old went to visit their neighbours, when the 

 Scots of Hibernia established a petty kingdom in Argyle, and 

 long before they had imparted their name to the whole of North 

 Britain. But in the happier days of a different era, even such 

 vulgar accommodation was unnecessary ; for the great Finn 

 M'Coul seized a bush of rushes in passing, and tearing a sod 

 from the earth, dropped it into the Channel for a stepping stone. 

 The vacant space was soon filled with water, and is known as 

 Lough Neagh ; the sod, deprived of its rushes, is commonly 

 known as the Isle of Man. We are not aware of the exact date 

 at which his Satanic Majesty tried his teeth on a ridge of moun- 

 tains in Ireland. Flying like a large bird of prey from his con- 

 genial region of Connaught, over the fertile fields of Limerick 

 and Tipperary, he suddenly took a bite out of a hiU top ; but 

 finding it too hard or too heavy, he was reluctantly compelled 

 to drop it. The LeviVs-bit mountain is a perpetual proof of 

 the absence of the piece, and the Rock of Cashel of its presence. 

 But other portions of the British Islands possess their full 

 share of floating knowledge of this kind. Near a village 

 beside Dundee in Scotland, a " venomous beast" was induced to 

 devour nine sisters in succession, one fine morning, at a place 

 which is still called Nine Maidens' Well; but it was attacked 

 and slain by the country people. The principal person in the 

 pursuit, was a lover of one of the deceased young ladies, a 



• Sir W. Bethntn'si Gai'l and Cnnri. 



