About the middle of May, 1847, a farmer named James Lyons, in the parish of Clonbrorry, died and was buried with all the respect and veneration due to his memory by his afflicted wife and friends. In the latter end of the same month, or at the beginning of June in the same year, a wretch named Bryan Maconochy, bent with age, and leaning on a staff presented himself to the poor family, and gravely told them that he was their father, James Lyon, who was taken away by the fairies, and that after next New Year’s Day he would resume his pristine form and shuffle off the fairy coil, when the mark or assumed form enveloping his real body would be removed by the Elfin King, whose power over him would cease on that day. This Maconochy enjoined the most strict secrecy on the family, none of whom, with the exception of two, ever believed his incoherent romantic story. He was, however, permitted to live in the family awaiting the eventful New Year’s Day. Nearly a year afterwards another young fellow, a friend and accomplice of Maconochy arrived, and said that he was nephew of the deceased James Lyon, who was taken away by the fairies seven or eight years ago, and that his period of servitude was expired. The family, alarmed at the wonderful stories told, gave them some money, and were just preparing to sell a load of oats to pay off these two strange visitors, who promised, by getting a certain sum, to never trouble them again. You may imagine the terror of the family, and the strict observance of secrecy imposed upon them, when it was only a few weeks ago that the whole diabolical conspiracy was accidentally revealed to the respected curate of the parish, the Rev. Francis Kiernan, who immediately gave information to the authorities and got those infamous impostors committed to prison.’ Anon, ‘Extraordinary Case: A Fairy Turned Swindler!’, 1849