J. F. Campbell Collection > Transactions of the Ossianic Society > Volume 4

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this country ! The " Land of Life" is supposed to give perpetual life
to the departed spirits of the just. These are supposed to be located
somewhere about the sun's setting point, and have means of approach,
chiefly through the seas, lakes and rivers of this world, also through raths,
duns and forts. The seas, lakes and rivers act as cooling atmospheres,
while the raths, duns and forts, serve as plr.ces of ingress and egress to and
from them. There are besides, different grand-gates, as it were, through,
out the world, such asC|U ScuTpft) (Kill Stuifin), situate in Liscannor Bay,
supposed to be one of the chief entrances into Cfri i)A t)-Ó5 (" Land of
youth.") This is said to be a beautiful but small city, marked by the wliite
breaking waves between Loacc (Lahinch,) and lior-CeAt)t)ú]tt (Liscannor).
The white breaking waves, which are always seen in this part of the Bay,
are said to be caused by tlie sliallowness of the water over this eiiclianted
little city, which is believed to be seen once in seven years, and of
which, it is observed, that those who see it shall depart this world be-
fore the lapse of seven years to come ; but it is not supposed tliat tliose
persons die, but change their abode, and transmigrate from this world of
toil, into the elysium of the just, i.e. Cm 'JA t).Ó5 (" Land of Youth,")
where they shall, at once, become sportive, young and happy, and con-
tinue so for ever. It is also believed, that those who see those enchanted
spots, are slightly endowed with the gift of prophecy, from the time
they see it till they depart this world, and that they pass through this
enchanted passage, so magically shewn them, prior to their departure.
For further information on CiU Sruit-ii) (Ivill Stuifin), read Comyn's Ro-
mance, called GAcctiA Coftoilb tpvAic ScAittt) at,ax a cttiuri ttjac (the ad-
ventures of Torolv Mac Starn and his three sons). Contiguous to this
place is another spot called Cijoc ija rio5víóe (Fairy Hill), this was the
ancient name of Lahinch, before the death of the Chieftain, O'Connor of
Dumhach, (the Sand pits), who had been treacherously slain there, and in
memory of whom there had been raised a monument called leAcc u] Coij-
cub^m (O'Connor's monument), which in Irish is the present name of this
little town, but in its anglicised form Lahinch, or Laliinchy, it has lost all
sight of the old derivation. It was called Cijoc ijvV Sio5\;óe (Fairy Hill),
from its being the meeting place of the fairy nobles of this section of the
country, who, it seems, lived on terms of intercourse with the nobles of Cfit
tjA 1J-Ó5 (" Land of Youth,") and this hill is traditionally believed to be the
place where both tribes met and held their periodical conferences. The
nobles of this country are said to live in the great and large duns, for-
tresses, lisses, and raths, and to act as agents to the nobles of Cfia t)A 0-05
(•' Land of Youth,") and to those of all the states of the lov.-er paradise.
One of the duties of their station is to mark the persons suitable to the lower
country, and by their supernatural power they meet or send messengers to