The people and the name, Luc(e)y


Cluasach Ó Fáilbhe A folk narrative of south-west Kerry refers to Cluasach Ó Fáilbhe (Clusach O'Flavey [Fáilbhe = beech]) who was claimed to have been a native of the Ballinskelligs area. He was a great sailor and travelled with a sea-captain named Ceannaí Fionn (Fair-haired Merchant). Together they sought the end of the sea, and had many adventures. Cluasach was invited to stay with a beautiful maiden in an under sea city, which he eventually did. Before departing to live with the maiden, he promised to send a burned sod to a local strand each May morning to show that he was alive, and for a long time afterwards, this is said to have appeared. Other variants of this story are known to exist with different characters. It has been postulated by Dr Daithi O hOgain (in Myth Legend & Romance) that Cluasach Ó Fáilbhe may have actually been a teller of the story who became converted by tradition into an actor within the narrative, as elsewhere in Ireland the tale is simply of Ceannaí Fionn alone.

Petticoat Lucy It is not clear if the name used in this story is a given or a sur-name. This was a story recounted to the present writer by Paddy Doran, who heard it from his mother (nee O'Dwyer) who lived in Limerick. The story is as follows: There was a witch known as Petticoat Lucy or Petticoat Luce. One day she wanted to hitch a ride from a man driving a horse and cart. The driver didn't want to stop for her, but she jumped aboard the cart anyway. Once on the cart, she decided to punish the driver for his reluctance to stop for her, and she raised her left hand and declared, "I have one ton in this hand!" The horse slowed down a bit then, as though the cart was heavier, but he kept walking. Then the witch raised her other hand and announced, "I've got one ton in this hand!" The horse slowed a little more but continued his progression; and the witch smiled and announced, "I've got one ton in this leg!" at which the horse began to strain very hard to pull the cart. "I've got one ton in the other leg!" Then, "I've got one ton in my belly!" With the effort of trying to pull the enormous load, the horse fell down dead - and the witch ran away laughing. Petticoat Luce is said to "lie at the bottom of a black lake" in the Galty Mountains. These mountains are located at the junction of three Counties: Cork, Limerick and Tipperary. The mountain range includes Galtymore, which is 920 m high. The map I consulted (of all of Ireland) showed no lake, but indicated several streams. It is also said (by Paddy) that St Patrick is claimed to have drowned the last snake in Ireland in the very same lake. In the Vision of Aonghus (Aislinge Oenguso) the maiden Caer Iobharmhéith was at one time at Crotta Cliach (the Galtee Mountains) and later at Loch Béal Dragan (Lough Muskry on the Galtees). Some places no doubt engender myths and legends, or provide a locus for them.

Bríd or Brighid The connections with St Brighid (V c. 524AD) are somewhat tenuous. Never the less, a 9th Century text tells of a suitor for the young Brighid. She resisted him (to the point of blinding her self to be less attractive) despite the encouragement of her step brothers. The suitor was named Dubhthach mac Lughair. The story has in fact been traced to an earlier story of the Continental St Lucy. The legends of both Brigid and Lucy relate to the lengthening of daylight hours, and some of the continental myths were absorbed into the Irish tales.

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