Loch Derg/ Red Lake
…. a very strange Story hath been invented, and goes current, concerning the Reafon why inftead of Fin-lough, that is, the White Lake, it was called Loghderg, or the Red Lake. Bolar Beman, a Gyant, and an Irifh King (as fome-fay) in Days of yore, having neglected to perform fome mighty Feat, which he had engaged to do in his Life-time; Conan, another Gyant ( the Son of Fin Mc Cuil, the great Champion of Ireland) finding a little Worm in one of his Jaw Bones, threw it into Finlough, where it grew fo big within 24 Hours, that the whole Lake could hardly contain it. This Monfter, called by the Natives Caoranch, would Fuck Men and Cattle into its Mouth at a Miles Diftance. and becoming by this attractive Quality fo very pernicious to the Country, that no one durft come near the Lake; at laft they came to a Compfition, and obliged themfelves to fend a certain Number of Cattel, to be devoured by it every day. When almost all the Cattel in Ulster were deftroyed, infomuch that they were forced to fend to Lienfter and Munfter for Supplies; the People began to threaten Conan (as well they might) for bringing fo much Mifchief upon them. Whereupon, he undertool to be avenged of the Monfter, and taking a Dagger in his hand, he went to knockanacguinny ( a Mountian near the lake, where the prey was ufually delivered to it) and was there * fwallowed up by it himfelf. When he was in Caoranach’s Belly, preceiving that it might be wounded in the side (which, like Achilles’s Heel, was the only Part that could be pierced by cold Iron) he cut his Way through it with his Dagger, and fwam to the fhore. having loft his Skin anf Hair by the Heat of its Entrails. as is fuppofed, for which Reason, he was ever afterwards called Conan Mail. i.e. bald Conan. The Monfter immediately died, and Conan having cut off its Head, threw it upon the Shore, where the Stones were coloured red with the Blood. that gufhed out of it, (as the Natives believe:) whereas it is obvious to obferve, that it is a Mineral Spring flowing over them, that gives them this Colour. The Blood of the Body ran in fo great a Quantity into the Lake, that ir was red for 48 hours, and for this reafon it goes by the Name of Lough-Derg ever fince. Caoranachs Bowels were metamorphofed into great Stones. of which there will be occafion to make mention hereafter. The Image of this pretented Monfter is cut in Stone, and kept in the fsland where Pilgrims perform Devotion, to confirm them in the Belief of this ridiculous Fable.
Notes
* The fable is taken from Ovid Metamprph. b. 11. where it is faid, that Hercules leapt into the Mouth of a Whale, by which Hefione was to be devoured; and fliding down into his Belly, he fpent 3 days inside tearing it open at laft came out, having lost his Hair
References
John Richardson, “The Great Folly, Superstition, and Idolatry, of Pilgrimages in Ireland”, Dublin, 1727
Image
Plate XVI, Physarella oblonga, in, T.H. Macbride, ‘The North American Slime Moulds a Descriptive List of All Species, 1922
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The first part of this texts appears in Landscape
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