Kilmurry, County Kerry

Bean Sidhe is supposed to announce the death of a member of an old Irish family. when an O Connor, an O Brien, an O Rourke, a McCarthy, or a Murphy, or a member of several other families dies in Kerry, people are on the alert for the Bean Sidhe. She usually comes not more than a week before the death. She may be heard ag caoineadh round the house, or in the neighbourhood of the sick person.
About 45 years ago a man was already dead, and was being waked in his own house. Not later than 10 o'clock, a summer's night, all the people at the wake heard the lonely wail about a half a mile away. It was evidently on the bohereen and coming towards the house.
Some of the younger members of the family said it was surely a certain brother in law, coming to the wake already drunk. They set out in the direction of the wail to thrash him, but it suddenly stopped, and there was nobody to be seen on the bohereen; nor in the adjacent fields.



An old woman, her son, and the man who told the story, were sitting around fire chatting quietly one cold winter's day. It was not more than four o'clock in the evening when a loud wailing in the distance caught their attention. They dropped the conversation and listened. In a few minutes the old woman said "There is someone of the O-- dead, naming a family who lived a field away. The son abused her for being so silly.
A half an hour afterwards they were again startled by the galloping of a horse past the yard. He came to announce the death of one of the O-- who lived 5 or 6 miles away from his father's home.

The Bean Sidhe was heard in Curranes a few years ago before the death - and an accidental death too - of a certain man. A light was seen in space near the same spot. Light in space is supposed to be a premonition of deaths.
Nevertheless "In coming from the wake stories" it more often appears.
Two men and a "young girl" were coming from the wake of a member of a certain O-- family one night. They saw the ball of light rolling along the side of the mountain. After some time it disappeared from their view.

Many people would not go by road (walking or on a bicycle) to Dingle late at night, because of the ghost stories that are told in connection with Conor Hills.

Before the death of one of the Daly family the caoineadh was heard about 200 yards from the house.

From the National Folklore Collection, UCD.



Many many years ago a mermaid was seen once a year, sitting on a rock combing her hair on the brink of one of the Killarney lakes. Others say that the lake near which she appeared is in [??] near [?] mountain.
The story of her beauty was widespread. Her hair which was like burnished gold reached below her waist. Her eyes were of the deepest blue, and her complexion was a soft delicate pink.
People knew when to expect her visit and they came from different parts of the County to see her.
On one occasion Mr Walsh, Coom, Cordal, made it his business to go to see her. His love for her was on first sight, yet deep and sincere. He sprang towards her and lifted her in his arms to take her home. She responded somewhat, yet she gave him this word of warning, "Think well before you take me, or you may be sorry." His only response was a blank refusal to go home without her. She agreed to come with him on one condition, only that he would not take her outside the door of his own house for a year and a day. This he readily promised to fulfil and thus he brought her to Coom. She brought with her her wand which she hid in a loft beside the fire.
After some time she gave birth to a baby daughter, for whom the father provided a nurse, for he had noticed the mother getting somewhat restless, and he was willing to do anything to please her.
One day while he was out, she came down out of her room laughing, she snatched her wand, went off, and was never seen nor heard of afterwards.
Her child grew stronger and more beautiful daily. Some few years after the mother's disappearance however, the sounds of music, song and revelry were heard in her room.
The nurse went to the room door, and peeped at the keyhole to see what was going on. The child followed her and did likewise. No sooner did the child put her eye to the keyhole than something was thrown at her which blinded her.
After some time the child died, and she is supposed to be the Bean Sidhe which follows the Walsh family.
The same music which the child and the nurse heard is sometimes heard, round and beside the death-bed of a dying member of the Walsh family.


From the National Folklore Collection