In Ireland one of the most generally believed superstitions, of the many held by the rural Irish, is that fairy gold, silver and jewels of all kinds are to be found hidden beneath almost every fairy Rath, cairn, or old castle in Ireland. Treasure seekers will be quick to tell you that it is a difficult task to locate and exhume any kind of buried treasure. Tradition, however, suggests that several families in bygone years had become rich through discovering a treasure store that had been hidden beneath the earth. But, as a first step toward securing hidden treasure, the seeker must first overcome the strange, inexplicable guardian spirit who is always on the alert and, therefore, must be encountered.
In Irish folklore we learn that the locations of these treasures are usually discovered by the mortal being given a dream, which is repeated three times. The treasure itself is usually contained within a ‘Crock’ or ‘Covered Vault’ before it is buried in the earth. Then, when any attempt is made to retrieve the treasure an awful gorgon-like monster, or other menacing demon, will appear to prevent the finder from gaining his reward. On occasions a destructive, rushing wind, sweeps over the plain, exiting from the opening that has been made. When free, it instantly carries away in its wake the hat from the gold seeker’s head, his spade, or even in certain cases, the adventurer himself. Because of this encounter he is frequently deposited with several broken bones, or a paralyzed frame, at a respectful distance from the buried treasure.
A tale tells us that on the banks of a beautiful northern river that is called ‘The Lagan’, and quite near to the town of Dromore, there may be seen a lush green plot of land, upon which stand two large, moss-covered stones, over six hundred feet apart from each other. Legend has it that two immense ‘crocks of gold’ are buried under these two very conspicuous land-marks. Over the years many attempts have been made by various people to dig around these large stones, and beneath them. No treasure has yet been recovered and when persistent efforts are made by any person they are, allegedly, visited by the apparition of a monk, dressed in full habit and with a cross in his hand. He warns these treasure hunters not to proceed with their sacrilegious work, because here it had been intended to build a church that was to equal in size and beauty the Church of St. Peter in Rome.
Legends also inform us that the contents of one ‘crock’ were intended to erect the structure of this grand building, while the other crock’s treasure was to be used to decorate the church. We are told that the golden treasure was most likely to have been saved from the wreck of an ancient religious foundation. For this reason, the treasure was regarded as being a sacred horde that should only be used to build a church, or a monastery.
Ireland's Lore and Tales 