Lorna Marjorie O'Neills memoirs .. in her own voice
"I will not take my place behind people anymore. I never should have because i was never supposed to ... The only one i will stand behind is my God
The story about a magical land in the heart of Ireland where I grew up in and still live in and will haunt forever. ' Sheepstown'. The Cailleach got down on her hands and knees and chanted. Sam froze in fright. he believed he was being cursed by the witch who lived down the road .It was a dark night, a banshee shreaked like a vixon fox. They were down at the small field on the corner in front of the dark forest. At the foot of the sinister tree. It was Sams field but the witch wanted it to grow vegetables in . her voice was crackley. She lived in a small white tatched old irish cottage called ' frog cottage' down the road. She took the field from him forever . There was a stream at the other side of the road. a healing stream. a long time ago, three children had died there. Cattle got stuck in the mud there and had to be hauled out. Sam backed up into it in panic mode, almost drowning . He managed to free himself from the mud. He wandered up the first long , windy hill with grass in the middle, through 'the lawn' field feeling dazed and confused. The witch entered the forest , taking the mushroom -filled trails back to her tin roofed frog cottage and lit the stove
Sam's health began to deteriorate after that over time. He was never the same again. Everyday the witch wandered the country roads towards the local village Delvin to do her shopping. Sometimes she would get a lit
One night Sam heard the sound of the banshee again . Its piercing sound shot through the night. the old man who lived in the cottage overlooking the lawn, Sam's friend had died.
The day dazzled, Sheepstown in all its lush green glory. Oxygenating wind circling breathing life. The mother of light pushed the big black pram into the field across the road from her 70's bungalow . She loved being outside with her children in nature. It brought such joy to her heart. It was mid August and the blackberries were all out . They picked and picked, their faces bruised with juice, ink black. The berries were stewed and often served tart. She used them to make eves pudding . Her favourite . She was a real earth mother, fully embracing motherhood.. Pamela walking down the road picking rubbish and sticks and putting them at the bottom of her pram. Picking wild flowers, light pink dog roses were her favourite. she adorned the pram with them, singing away to her new baby. Her new baby giggled .She walking down the road . The cattle were drinking thirstily in the rambling field. Everything was still, unchangeable, peaceful , expansive. The big old farmhouse house was half a mile away from the family's pink house. Pamela opened the large iron gate and pushed the big old black pram inside the big old yard with the red water pump. . She was proud t be showing her mother in law Bassie her beautiful new baby ' Lorna Marjorie' . they entered the old Irish kitchen with the black wooden ceiling . The mother went to the toilet , down the hall with the black and white art deco tiled floor and to her shock when she came back she heard the grandma saying over and over . Poor Lorna , to the baby. Pamela felt uneasy. What had she done to her baby?? From the way she spoke the mother believed the baby may have been cursed too..
The evil uncle lurked in the shadowed background rubbing his thin hands together. he looked like a ogre.
At night a fog desended on the fields . It looked quite eerie ..There was a dead fox at the entrance to the black gate field and a poor dishevelled sheep wandering the road looking for a place to die. A bad omen. The early spring frost took it. It lay frozen in the hedge.
The old television was on, a chilling episode from ' the twilight zone ' was playing, about an old demon cutting out the hearts of people in an old horror house. it was in black and white .
A bright wolf moon shone. They were having an evening bonfire behind the pink house. The moons beams were like the suns beams. they shined through the trees onto the billows of smoke. It was so atmospheric . The family took a walk out to marvel at all the magical star formations . They were comfortable in the dark. Their very own universe.
The crow on the wire .So serene.
Lorna Awoke with a start. She was holding her care bear tight. The battle of dark and light was chanting in her head. The residue of a deep, intense dream. She tried to peer out the floral net curtain's ..It felt chilly. She jumped out of bed. It was excruciating dressing because their bungalow was so cold . They had to make a game out of it. It wasn't insulated with no heating . The open fires and range that mum pain stakingly using fuel from the farm fired up heated the house. The winter months were filled with dirty fires, chilblains, woolly jumpers , itchy lambs wool blankets. Luke warm baths . The morning felt different for some reason. She felt even more excited than usual. She was getting a pony soon. She had wanted a pony for ages. .A white pony. After porridge and a big play with her siblings. Lorna's mummy, (who was the best mummy anyone could ever have ) suggested Lorna go for a walk up the land." Sounds like fun" Lorna said and headed off in her big black boots. It was late May so the land was finally dry and easy to walk on. It was quite bumpy though . Lorna chattered on to herself with her dog Lassie in tow. Her favourite time of year to walk the land was spring because you could see the gangs of sprightly new lambs frolocking down the hills. Such a joy to behold. Early spring , Lorna would race out to the fields after school to bring in any new lambs to the shed where it was cosier . She loved hunting for new lambs and feeding the orphaned ones .She loved the outdoors and animals.
She started down the grassy road. The hedges were filled with wildflowers, primroses, buttercups and cowslips. They were fragrant and heady in summer when the scented white weeds grow. Lorna jogged a bit taking in the air deeply. She entered the left side of the farm . She knew every inch of that farm. All the winding cattle trails. Sometimes she would stop and enjoy a delightful little spot like under a small chestnut tree. There were oak trees, ash trees, lime trees and crab apple trees. The freedom to linger without the prying eyes of the world on you . Blissful, relaxation. Sometimes there were sheep caught in the briars Lorna felt like her shepherd Sam father.as she freed them. She was a sheep whisperer. She jumped a gate to enter a field . It was a glorious day . The sun shone brightly through the trees. She was wearing her old hand - me - downs , brothers clothes, a real tomboy. She walked towards the fairy fort which was at the back of the land beside the stream and willow way. Willow way is a pathway through lush willow trees. The birds sang their cheery song. She noticed the new leaf shoots on the tall majestic trees.
she talked about where she was in life , processing everything .Most of the time she basked in the moment where her true power lay .She reached the fairy fort . There were big stone boulders in it, rocks that she would stand on and declare herself sovereign. High Queen Lorna Marjorie O'Neill, ruler over all of Ireland .
Suddenly she heard whispering. The faint whisper of fairies rustled through the trees and bushes that surrounded the fort. A light drizzle began. The sound of the soft rain and the whispering fairies was quite magical. The rain refreshed her, it always made her hair curly and her cheeks rosy. She edged towards the fort.. It hadn't rained for ages. It really is a fairy fort. She marvelled . In her dreams, she had always believed this . The bushes which bordered the fort were covered in white bushes. She felt lost in the moment, a moment of sheer delight. It seemed like the fairies were trying to communicate with her. What were they trying to say? Oh she caught sight of them . They were wispy with cheeky faces and rosy cheeks. Lorna thought they looked a bit like a miniature version of her . Two delicate feathers flapping away in excitement. Like moths , bright electric blue large moths .Sparkles , and dandelion wisps filled the air . Some of the fairies were blowing them. Some looked like butterflies with human heads. I'm calling those ones ' flutterlies'" thought Lorna. They were eating ' strottleberries' which was a purple berry that tasted like ice- cream .
Lorna nearly fainted. What a sight!. Wait till she tells her mum about this. Lorna ran home and told her mum. At dusk Lorna brought her dog 'lassie' down to see the electric blue moths. She had a torch which they flapped around . They were drawn to the light. There were moths with the fairies too. Fairies and moths. A magical experience . Ill never forget this ' thought Lorna A beautiful memory from my childhood in Sheepstown..
The Summer stretched out endlessly. It was getting dark very late .The O'Neill's and local kids liked to ramble around the countryside thinking they were the famous five finding old ruins in fields or doing archaeological digging in the banks of rivers finding large cattle bones . 'Smiling Bess' lay close to Sheepstown. It was an old ruin of a mansion with a beautiful ornate gateway, which they entered and snuck down the long avenue. The avenue was like a long path with no hedges or trees. The animals could cross it . They entered the ruin. It had wings either side. There were dead sheep in the hedges that stank .Putrid smell. The farmer must not be shepherding his sheep properly , Lorna thought. Lorna was a sheep whisperer. There was an incident where they were separating a lamb from her mother unintentionally. The sheep was visibly upset and Lorna coped it and called a halt to the whole operation. Lorna would routinely help sheep to get free from being stuck in barbed wire especially in the snow.
In the old ruin there were dark passageways . The farmer would drive down the avenue and they would run for the hills. it was so much fun. They felt like the famous five .They found another ruin of an old cottage in the fields
The oneill children got pet calves. They called one 'Jubilate'. They were fed buckets of milk and calve nuts everyday . It was powder milk . What a smell . warm milk
One hot July day . Lorna was i the garden which was blooming magnificently . She started to walk out to the road over the cattle grid .She had a sense somebody was about . Lorna had psychic senses . She looked down the long winding hill. The first of the two hills .. She looked down the long picturesque hill and saw a mysterious black cloaked figure at the bottom of the hill. That's strange she thought to see someone dressed in all black on such a hit day. Plus it looked like it was gliding . She went back to the house to watch the person walk by and literally within a few seconds , an old woman dressed in old period dress glided by. High necked with long sleeves. A very long dress. Lorna had never seen anyone like that before . In the country you get to know that people that walk the roads, especially the old people. It left her with a chilling feeling .
A few days later on another beautiful day , Lorna went out for a jog to the local shop . She met the same old lady on the road. Lorna had to pass her. The woman looked straight ahead. she didn't seem real at all. There was a tall woman , Lorna heard who had lived a long time ago at those crossroads. it was her . She had loved the place so much she had returned . Lorna will haunt the place too. That whole experience left Lorna with a chilling experience .
2026 Lorna O'Neill all rights reserved ..
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