Myths and legends of the Mournes brought to book
Author Cathal (80) says ancient stories and their lessons still have resonance today
A CO Down pensioner has written a book bringing together some of the legends of the Mournes.
Cathal O’baoill from Newcastle has penned Rurai: Red Beach, a collection of 10 ancient legends associated with the majestic mountains.
“It can be argued that all of these stories happened within a couple of miles of deepest, darkest Newcastle,” said Cathal, who turned 80 in January.
“One of the stories reveals the origin of another name for Slieve Donard — Sliabh Slaigne — and tells the tale of a hero who came here from Egypt 2,000 years ago with his father and brother.
“That’s according to source, of course.
“While another says they arrived in Waterford, and a different one again says they landed in Donegal.
“But, as anyone with any sense knows, they definitely came here to Newcastle.”
The name of his book, which he worked on along with illustrator daughter Eilis O Baoill and son Sean Paul, was inspired by Slaigne’s brother Rurai.
“Rurai was the younger brother of Slaigne,” he said. “And as the brothers and their father approached the shoreline at the foot of the Mournes in their boat, the brothers fell out about who would own the land.
“Their father told them whoever was first to put a hand on the shore will own it — and the brothers began to race. Rurai took off faster than his brother, but Slaigne then took the lead.
“In his desperation to win, the younger brother chopped his hand off and threw it on the beach, where it bled. It’s a wonderful story, and brought lovely links with it. Rua means red in Irish, and Tra means beach, so it’s one of the stories connected to the name Rory, and of course it’s where the Red Beach in Newcastle comes from too.”
As well as writing the stories in Irish, grandfather-of-15 Cathal has translated the collection into English.
“I suppose writing a book was a good thing to do over the past year — an interesting reaction to disaster,” he said.
“But I thought it was as good a time as any. There are lots of people out there shouting for a united Ireland at the minute, as there have been for years. But if that happens, I wonder what will be achieved. Will there be a reverse of what people see as dominance, and one community will take precedence over another? What is the point of that?
“The point behind these stories
one is to illustrate that this place belongs to all of us, and that all of us belong here. There has been movement in and out of this island for thousands of years, and these wonderful stories make the point. There are no strangers here and the stories belong to all of us.”
As an Armagh native, the retired music teacher says if a “blow-in” like him can take ownership of Co Down stories, then no one should be made to feel like an outsider.
“I moved to Newcastle with my wife Norah in 1966. Before that we’d taught in Tyrone and lived in Nigeria for a time, but we had to come home when war broke out there,” he said.
“So I’m a blow-in to Newcastle, like everyone in Ireland, and
I think that’s the point. All of us is a blow-in from somewhere.”
Daughter Eilis, who also lives in Newcastle, says she has loved seeing the stories come to life in the book, which is available on Amazon.
“It’s been a really joyful experience,” said the mum-of-two.
“These stories have been around us for years, and it’s so lovely to have them come together like this.
“In the last exhibition I did before the lockdown, which showed in the Glass Gallery in Newcastle, I did a series of copper repousse pieces around the Rurai story, and when my brother Sean Paul suggested we pull the stories all together and make them more widely accessible, I was delighted to do it.”