Donegal Annual / Bliainiris Thír Chonaill. Vol. 2, No. 2 (1952)

!armer in .white \vith goideri wings folded on her shoulders --the latter in black robes, half revealing in his cowl a visage of fiendish and most uncomfortable aspect. Although thi:> belief has partially die:l away, the maids still go about in · couples afte:- nightfall; and some declare, while tending the fire in the highest chamber of the tower they have seen gle<ims of light flash from the eyes of the sculptured face .which ornaments the mantle- •piece and is general1y known as 'Mulrorey's head' ". sir Miles Mac Sweeney was not besiged by .Sir Richard BrugLey; - in fact the cnly occasion on which he might have been b:::- seiged in Doe Castle was prior ·to 'his escape from the vengeance of Red Hugh O'Donnell. 2. Tile story of To!"lcgh Og. O'Boyle and Eileen 1MacSweeney is one of the popular Tomances in the folklore of Tirnonail. For this •we have to thank or to blame. the late Niall MacGiolla Bhridhe, the poet of Creeslough, who contributed much towards its popularity with his ballad; ''TURLOGH OG. O'BOYLE'' "Wild arc the hil'.s of Donegal that frowning d.arkly rise As if to meet the mist l·~at falls upon !them from the skies. Dark, dark the hills, and darker still the mountain torrents flow, Yet still more dark was Mu!murrough's heart in his castle halls of Doe. Fair are the plains of Donegal, and calm the ·Winding streams Flow gently by each tut and hall beneath the pale moonbeams, But plain or stream -0r meadow green or flower upon the lea Were n-0t rno!·e fair u~an Mulmurrough's child, so sv;eet and fair was she. .. Stout grew thl o-uks o.f Donegal, and straight the ashen tree. Ami stout and strong its sons so tall, their country's pride to see, But oak or ash, or young en all, e'er trod on Irish soil \\'ere not more stout, swift, straight or strong than the Chief ot Clan O'Boyle. He was the pride of Faugher side, near the hills of Ba:tymore, For feat.s of strength none equalled him from Fanad to G:weedore, An-d he would go through frost and snow on a merry Christmas Day With a ringing cheer to hunt the deer from iti> haunts in dark Gl envelgh· 402,

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