Folklore & legend

Fairy Music, the Sailor in the Tree and the Battle at Margy Bridge

Glenariff, Ballintoy and Margy near Ballycastle

Recalled in the late twentieth century

Francis McCaughan told the oral history project of hearing fairy music on nights with a thirteenth full moon, which he said sounded like stereo and could not be pinned down to a direction. Sarah Gribben described a big tree in Glenariff where fairies were said to live. A sailor went to Cushendall, got a mouth organ and played in the tree, so that the next morning people heard music they took to be the fairies, but it was the French sailor.

Mary McCurdy said her grandfather fled on horseback from wee folk playing music over kilns near Ballintoy. Maggie Jane McNeilly told of a wee fairy man who ate milk and a soda farl and then hurried to Margy Bridge, near Ballycastle, for a battle with the Scottish fairies, and promised good times in Ireland if the Irish fairies won.

The project also records sceptics, such as James Clarke, whose father opposed superstition though he listened to fairy tales, and Frank McCormick, who said he never witnessed ghosts, fairies or wraiths.

Evidence
Contemporary written record
Access
Open ground
Location
55.019, -6.124 (Parish-level only, treat as an area)

Sources: Glens of Antrim Historical Society, "Superstitions and Customs" oral history project [other]

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