WKSTRorp — Cist>i, Dolmens, and Pillara of East Clare. 97 



In Ireland, we nmy note, for comparison, the alignment near Lough 

 Gur, in Limerick, and that in the townland of lleenaiee and parisli of 

 Kilnamartry, Cork. The rows in the latter case are 4 feet apart, and 

 the highest gallan is 5 feet 6 inches high.' 



Local tradition states that the Clare pillais were seven rohbers who 

 " kept about the place in old ancient times." Now tbcro was a saint 

 (possibly Mochulla) at Tulla who was building the church there ; and 

 he was so busy, " he had no time to cook his food." The holy man for- 

 tunately possessed " a blessed bull," and used to send it with bags to 

 Ennis Abbey, where the monks used to pack a supply of cooked 

 provisions for the church-builder. Hearing of this, the robbers way- 

 laid the faithful animal, and proceeded to ravage the bags. The bull 

 thereupon roared so loudly that he was heard at Tnlla ; and the saint 

 stopped building, " and he prayed and cursed at the one that was 

 hurting his bull." Eapid was the retribution — in the twinkling of an 

 eye, the seven robbers were " struck and turned into fearbreags," or 

 sham-men, on the spot where they stood. 



The legend is late in form, but has ancient equivalents in all ages 

 and counties ; we need only note some Irish and Scottish forms. We 

 find at lona, a " Portanfhirbhreig," so called from a tall rock, supposed 

 to resemble a man's figure.^ Another late Scottish legend, "Fionn's 

 Enchantment,"^ tells how Eionn and his lads had been hunting in a 

 snow-storm, and, while waiting for their " bird-stew" to be cooked, a 

 hare ran into the house and kicked up the ashes. All the men ran 

 out after her, and followed her to a hut, which proved to be the abode 

 of a giant magician, named " Yellow Face," who lived on enchanted 

 boars and human flesh. The giant called in the intruders to help him, 

 and, on their crossing the threshold, struck them with his rod of magic, 

 and " they became pillars of stone ; and he set them on the north side 

 of the door to stop the sleety wind " (like the shelter slabs at the doors 

 of clochauns in Corcaguiney). The curing of Eionn, whose legs had 

 been burned off, and the disenchantment of the petrified youths, do 

 not bear directly on the subject of Fearbreags. St. Brendan is said (in 

 an Irish legend) to have saved a young man from murderers by 

 changing him into a pillar, and a pillar into his form. The villains 



^ "Cork Historical and Archeeological Society's Journal," vol. iv., scr. ii., 

 p. 289. 



2 Adamnaii's "Life of S. Columba " (ed. Dr. Reeves), p. 129. 

 ^ MevHC CiUique, vol. i. (1870), p. 196. 



