Wk.stkopp — Brasil and the Legemlarij Islands of the N. Atlantic. 251 



Stuithin either fled to his island and sank it by magic, or lost the magic key 

 of it in the pursuit at the Boher, when the island at once sank. When the 

 golden key is recovered from its hiding-place, under the Ogham monument, 

 on Mount Callan, the island shall be disenchanted and rise over the sea. Its 

 golden roofs are at times seen and its thyme-fields smelt by those sailing over 

 it. it rises once in seven years' over the waves with gold-roofed towers 

 and huge buildings, but whoever sees it dies before its next appearance. The 

 " Monks of KUcrea "- (Gleeman's story) records the belief in " lost Kilsapheen, 

 its palaces, and towers of pride ... all buried in the rushing tide and deep 

 sea-waters green." Gerald Griffin clearly alludes to it : " Oft, through the 

 breakers dividing, a city is seen . . . the bodement they say of the wonderful 

 sight is death to the eyes that have seen it." 



There is a long and evidently varnished (if not entirely fictitious) story 

 by J, Geraghty in The Irish Penny Journal (vol. i, p. 362). He says that 

 Kylestafeen extended 100 miles to the west of Ireland, that it is seen once in 

 seven years, and if anyone can then drop earth on it the charm will be broken. 

 Another legend says it was swallowed by an earthquake, and the name 

 " Crochan " is connected with its submergence, with the collapse of the moun- 

 tain at Dugort in Achill, and the breaking of Dunbriste in ISTorth Mayo. 

 Otway was told that a. whole barony fell away from the cliffs of Moher and 

 Malbay, and that its magic key was under " Cuneen Miul's tomb " on Mount 

 Callan.' It is from 1 to 3 fathoms deep on this reef. 



Skeed, Galway Bay. — In 1864, Roderic O'Flaherty identified Brasil 

 with Beg Ara, or Little Aran, an imaginary island in Galway Bay. " Skerde, 

 a wild island of huge rocks, the receptacle of a deale of scales," was the place 

 of the apparition. It sometimes appeared to be a great city ; sometimes it 

 was full of flames, smoke, and apparitions of people running to and fro,* or 

 like a number of ships, or great stacks, or ricks, not only on bright days, but 

 on cloudy ones.* I myself heard no such legends at either Aran or Carna, to 

 either side of Skerd, but Brasil is often mentioned iu the former islands. 



Inishbomn, Co. Galway. — ^It may seem strange to include an actual island 

 among legendary ones, but a firm local belief exists that Bofin (" White Cow 

 Island ") was once a floating island. At last, ages ago, some fishermen in a 



' So in the Voyage of it. Brendan, chapter xiv, an island appears once in seven years. The same 

 is told of Brasil and Monaster Ladra ; see infra. 



- P. 55 and notes, p. 436. 



3 Ordnance Snrvey "Letters " (MSS. R.I.Acad.), Co. Clare, vol. i, pp. 300-4, vol. ii, pp. 74-99. 

 Journal of Limerick Field Club, vol. jii, p. 197 ; folk-lore, vol. xxi, p. 485 ,- Eev. Caesar Otway's 

 " Tour iu Connaught," p. 387. 



* One recalls the " Island of Hell" in the Imrama. 



= Roderic O'Fiaherty's " Chorographical Description of hiar Connaught" (ed. Hardiman), 

 pp. 68, 69. 



