Elf Stones

Sligo historian, Joe McGowan, spoke to Michael from folklore.ie showing some genuine elf stones and sharing details on how they were used. I love that it is still a living memory for people.

If na daoine maithe, the good people, hit a cow with one while they were out playing in a field, the cow was elfshot, collapsed, and unable to get back up. The cure varied by area, most often, water from where three townlands meet, mixed with a coin, then the water was given to the animal, and invariably it was cured.

My drawing depicts the moment that the person opens the cloth of stones and, as a result, engages with the otherworld.