2 58 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 



Carrickatroher, Scohadoogorfc. The lakes are Bofin. Loughaveeneeny, 

 Loughnambraud, Loughgowlariagower (with the horrible hybrid "Gowlauna- 

 goat " !), and Loughnagrooaun. 



In Inishlyon are Ooghnaguunel (suggesting a guiding candle, perhaps for 

 smuggling), and Ooglmagalliagh. Cloonaruore, and much of Middlequarter and 

 Knock, are a wilderness of little craggy knolls with bogs and pools, forming 

 a featureless labyrinth, difficult (especially on a cloudy day) to find one's way 

 through when trying to reach any object. 



The Legends. — The Island of the "White Cow (Inis bo finde), or, as Bede 

 renders it, " Insula vitulae albae," derives its name from no mere animal, 

 if legend is to be trusted. Ages ago Inishbofin was a spectral island, and 

 floated about bidden by mist from mortal eye. At last some fishermen, lost in 

 a fog at sea, deemed that they were nearmg land. They cautiously approached 

 the shore and lit a fire, or, as others say, shook the ashes out of a pipe. 

 Touched by fire the island was disenchanted and fixed on its base, the mist rose 

 and the wanderers found themselves on the " North Beach " — a shingle ridge. 



" On one side lay the Ocean, and on one 

 Lay a great water, and the moon was full." 



A ghostly-looking old woman was seen driving a white cow, and as soon 

 as it reached the water she struck it and it became a rock. One of the 

 men in anger ran over and struck the hag, who, with him, at once became a 

 rock. Down to 1S39 the cow has been seen " revisiting the glimpses of the 

 moon " before any great disaster. This was told to O'Donovan in that year. 1 



The same year Caesar Otway 2 collected a variant from an Omey fisherman. 

 Bofin was once a part of Hy Brasil. It was invisible, save at rare intervals, 

 after which " it passed away again like a fog-bank." A mackerel-fisher and 

 his son, from Omey Island, went far out to sea one night. They brought a 

 " coal " of turf to broil their fish on a lump of blue clay, and were hard at work. 

 At last they heard the song of birds and sounds of sheep and cattle, and 

 saw they were in a queer, misty part of the sea. In their surprise they upset 

 the fire, and, as it fell overboard, a beautiful island at once appeared. They 

 landed, bringing fire on a bunch of seaweed, and saw a ''■ lady full beautiful," 

 dressed in green, driving a white cow to a lake. The young man caught the 

 eow by the tail ; she kicked, and the tail came off in his hand, and proved to 

 be a root of seaweed The elder man pursued the lady, who fled from the 

 fire and plunged into the lake, and ever after Inishbofin remained 

 disenchanted 3 



The fairies, however, remain on it ; they were heard romping and carousing 



1 Ordnance Survey Letters, Mayo, vol. i, p. 485. 2 Tour in Connaiight, p. 391. 



' See Section 7, p. 74. 



