BSW3A 8. The man who knew his sheep
Nov 05, 2021, 10:20 AM
Speaker: Dan Gallagher
From The Bluestack Way - Part 3 playlist.
To the south west of our current location lies the ancient castle of Castlemeara. According to Kinnfeala, residents of the area believed that the three last remaining Danes after the Battle of Clontarf, a father and two sons, were condemned to be hurled into the nearby lake by the victorious Irish.
They were kept in close confinement at Castlemeara and were promised their freedom on condition of revealing the mode of manufacturing beer from heather - a secret in the possession of the Lochlanni or Danes. The old man promised to disclose the secret on condition that his two sons be despatched first.
The Irish were rather surprised at the father's requiring the previous death of his own sons as an indispensable condition; yet, so bent were they on getting possession of the secret, that they willingly complied. But no sooner had they done so than the crafty Dane asked to be thrown in the lake after his sons. 'Not unless you refuse to tell us the secret' answered the Irish. 'Then I refuse!' responded he haughtily. 'Why did you insist upon your sons being put to death before yourself?' they asked. "Lest they reveal the secret after my death' replied the defiant Dane. Upon this a weight was fastened to his neck and he was thrown into the deep pool, carrying the secret with him.
In our audio piece, we hear from Dan Gallagher telling us about a sheep farmer from these parts who may not have had much education, but knew everything there was to know about sheep.
From The Bluestack Way - Part 3 playlist.
To the south west of our current location lies the ancient castle of Castlemeara. According to Kinnfeala, residents of the area believed that the three last remaining Danes after the Battle of Clontarf, a father and two sons, were condemned to be hurled into the nearby lake by the victorious Irish.
They were kept in close confinement at Castlemeara and were promised their freedom on condition of revealing the mode of manufacturing beer from heather - a secret in the possession of the Lochlanni or Danes. The old man promised to disclose the secret on condition that his two sons be despatched first.
The Irish were rather surprised at the father's requiring the previous death of his own sons as an indispensable condition; yet, so bent were they on getting possession of the secret, that they willingly complied. But no sooner had they done so than the crafty Dane asked to be thrown in the lake after his sons. 'Not unless you refuse to tell us the secret' answered the Irish. 'Then I refuse!' responded he haughtily. 'Why did you insist upon your sons being put to death before yourself?' they asked. "Lest they reveal the secret after my death' replied the defiant Dane. Upon this a weight was fastened to his neck and he was thrown into the deep pool, carrying the secret with him.
In our audio piece, we hear from Dan Gallagher telling us about a sheep farmer from these parts who may not have had much education, but knew everything there was to know about sheep.