Paddy Mulligan's daughter and The O'Donoghue

PRIME – March 2014 By Jane D. O'Donoghue Special to PRIME Sinead was a comely redhead with a calm, loving manner. Her delight was keeping house for her father, who truly did not deserve it. Paddy was a rich man with holdings in land and livestock. Yet he always craved for more, and planned to marry Sinead to some rich man who would share his wealth. Tom O'Sullivan, a local boy, poor yet ambitious, was in love with Sinead. They knew Paddy would never agree to their marriage. Tom was handy and could build anything with his few tools and native skills. He was a reader and a lover of music who played the fiddle and tin whistle for dances. This didn't endear him to Paddy, who thought these abilities useless. He wanted more land and animals to make him wealthier and give Sinead an easy future. Many men, especially older ones, vied for Sinead's hand, but Paddy drove a hard bargain and she remained a single maiden as her father dreamt of owning even more. He was not thinking of his daughter's happiness and future in his pursuit of wealth. The young lovers met often in a secret grove and bemoaned any future together. One day, Sinead was in tears when The O'Donoghue, disguised as a tall bush nearby, overheard their sadness and sought to help. The O'Donoghue was a legendary figure that often roamed the Lakes of Killarney and the lands nearby. He was known for doing good deeds, especially to the downtrodden with a special place in his heart for young lovers. As he listened to Tom and Sinead, he worked some of his magic and conjured a large black iron kettle filled with gold coins. The sudden appearance of it made them cautious of some trickery. When Tom approached it, he ran his fingers through the gold and threw them up in his excitement. Accepting this found treasure, they pledged not to tell anyone and felt they were safe leaving it there in their special hidden meeting place near the lake. Paddy in the meantime was out with his blackthorn walking stick looking for his daughter, suspecting she was with Tom. This wasn't in Paddy's plans and he wanted to discourage any meetings. As he walked toward the lake, he noticed a path in an area of tall shrubs and bushes. This was a way he hadn't explored before. After passing the growth, he witnessed Tom O'Sullivan tossing gold coins in the air, and Sinead dancing around him. Paddy stayed back and watched until they left. He ran to the treasure and attempted to lift the iron cauldron. It was, of course, too heavy. He sat and pondered this dilemma. He knew Tom wouldn't abandon the gold and yet, he couldn't carry it either. Paddy was beside himself with plans to take it to his house. He knew his friend Seamus would be a willing assistant, and would lug the entire lot with his cart and donkey. As he looked around, he noticed many oak and rowan trees and wondered how he'd remembered just where this place was, or how would he find it again. He decided to lean his walking stick against a tree coming through the gap. Paddy was sure he'd recognize the spot on his return. He hurried to Seamus's, almost dancing in his glee as he anticipated the golden fortune. Meanwhile, The O'Donoghue, still disguised as a bush nearby, realized the gift to Tom and Sinead was going to be taken by the greedy father. So, as Paddy rushed to Seamus's house, The O'Donoghue conjured a hundred look-alike walking sticks and placed them against trees and bushes all over the grove. Seamus O'Toole was not happy to be helping Paddy, but with a promise of gold, he agreed to hitch his donkey to the cart. They went as fast as the uneven fields allowed, with Paddy urging him to hurry. Seamus said, "The gold isn't going to disappear, so why rush." They traveled through the rough roads and around the peat bogs. By then, Paddy was almost in a rage, he was that anxious to put his hands on the treasure. As Paddy was racing over the fields to Seamus's house, Sinead and Tom returned to the spot with his father's cart and, with much tugging and lifting, placed the kettle of gold on the wagon and drove it to his father's cowshed. They covered it with hay and went to tell his father of their good fortune. Arriving at last at the spot in the woods, Paddy, shaking with anticipation, was struck with a curious sight. He was sure this was where he'd leaned his blackthorn stick against a tree. Yet, in the circle of trees and shrubs, there were hundreds of sticks, and not a kettle of gold in sight. He rushed around, moving each stick, sure that it held the clue to the hoard. As he knocked down one, another rose behind it. He ran in circles kicking and shouting until Seamus was sure Paddy had gone mad. Finally, Paddy knew there was something magical happening and he feared it was the wee folk playing a trick on him. He plunked himself down in defeat. If he wasn't such a mean, stingy, grabbing person, he might have cried for the loss. Looking around he saw hundreds of walking sticks on the ground and knew he was beat. Suddenly, a bush near the edge of the trees trembled and Paddy was astonished to see a tall man ride off on a white horse. Then he realized this was all a bit of magic from The O'Donoghue, who often came to the rescue of the local folks. Oh, and yes Tom and Sinead married, bought their own farm and lived happily ever after. Paddy had to be content with his belongings and an invitation to join in a tasty meal with the newlyweds every once in a while. Legend tells that every year on the first of May, The O'Donoghue can be seen riding his pure white horse rising from the Lakes of Killarney near his home, Ross Castle. Other times, he has been seen aiding the helpless and the poor. Many stories are told. I never saw him, but my Mam insists that she had as a young girl. He, on his white horse, rescued her from near drowning in the lake on a lashing rainy night. These stories are repeated by families at the firesides and although you may be skeptical, it is better to believe. Jane D. O'Donoghue is a Hungry Hill native and retired school librarian. Her writing has appeared in local and regional publications. Editor's Note: This month's column is adapted from the story "The Gold of Spansel Wood" by T. Crofton Croker.