The serpent of Lough Dilveen

17 March · Galtee Mountains, Ireland

Lore and belief

Among the seven lakes of the Galtee Mountains, between Cork and Tipperary, is Lough Dilveen. When St Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland he was said to have chained a monstrous serpent in it and told it to stay there till Monday. People living near the lough believed that every Monday morning the serpent called out to him in Irish.

It is a long Monday, Patrick.

From Chambers's Book of Days, vol. 1, p. 384. Read the original

Get a copy: Amazon · Bookshop.org · AbeBooks

We may earn a small commission if you buy through these links.

Also on this day

Questions and comments