THE
KINGDOM OF GLAN
In
1983, an interesting little booklet called The Kingdom of Glan
was published by the Members of Glangevlin Guild, I.C.A., namely
Margaret Fitzpatrick, Sarah Maguire, Susan Flanagan, Peggy Sheridan,
Martha McGovern, Kitty McGovern, Ida McGovern, Maura McGovern
and Rose McGovern.
Here
are some interesting excerpts from that fine little book:
History of Glangevlin:
Glangevlin
or 'the forked Glen’ is situated in the North West of
Cavan, surrounded by the Cuilceagh Mountains and bordering the
counties of Leitrim and Fermanagh.
The earliest inhabitants reached here possibly five thousand
years ago when tribes such as the Tuatha de Danann, the Formorians,
the Milesians and the Celts found their way up the rivers Erne
and Shannon, proof of which are the dolmens, ringed forts, caiseals,
passage graves and lake dwellings. The numerous caves and underground
passages provided a natural home for these early settlers. The
ringed forts were built as a defense against the wolves and
eagles during the Bronze Age and were used up to the twelfth
century and even later. They were built of clay, stone and
bushes. The Tuatha de Danann are reputed to have settled in
Derrynatuan where
a famous smith called Gaibhne lived and made swords for Balor
of the Mighty Blows who lived on Tory Island off the coast of
Donegal. Gaibhne also owned a famous cow, 'An Glas Gaibhleann.'
This cow is reputed to have supplied the whole
of Breifni with milk. She could fill any vessel regardless
of size. An old hag or cailleach in the area was jealous of
the prolific cow and one day she put a sieve under the magical
udder. The cow took off in a rage and leaped out through the
mountain waking a division in it, which is now called ‘Gap’.
The cow landed with Balor of the Mighty Blows on Tory Island....
The Shannon (river) derived its name from Sionna, the daughter
of Lodon who was the son of Ler (the great sea god). Sionna
became filled with an unholy desire for knowledge, which at
the time was the possession of man alone. She dwelt in the
land under the wave and in that land was Connla's we11 with
nine Sacred Streams running from it and nine Sacred Hazels growing
around the margin. These were the Hazels of Science, Poetry
and Knowledge. In the well lived the Salmon of Knowledge, which
fed on the hazel nuts so that whoever would eat of this salmon
would have all the knowledge of the world around him. Sionna
went to the well and tried to catch the salmon. The salmon
leaped and lashed its tail in rage and the water of the well
overflowed and swept Sionna into the 'Land of the Mortals’ through
a hole in the earth which was forever to be associated with
her name and known as Lug-na-Sionna or the 'Shannon Pot.'
