School: Sliabh na Cille (roll number 14513)
- Location:
- Slievenakilla, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0206, Page 222
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- In the townland of Greaghnafarna (Gréach na Fearna) there is a meadow owned by James Kelliher of Dunahona. Through the centre of this meadow there is a public footpath which was used more frequently by pedestrians fifty years ago than it is at present.Many people when walking through this meadow any time after sunset have seen a headless man and any persons who were so unfortunate as to see him never lived twelve months after.The last victim was Johnney Gitrane, a son of Paddy Gitrane's of Dernageer and a brother of the present Terry Sheids' Dernageer of Myley Phaidi of Corralabber. Johnney was away in Scotland for some time, and the night he came home his pass was through this meadow. He was about midway when he saw the man and thinking it was some person he would know Johnney went in his direction. Then to his horror he saw that he was headless and had disappeared as if the ground had swallowed him up. Poor Johnney struggled home and soon after took sick and was dead inside of ten months after having sen the headless ghost.This story was told to Mr. Sylvester Maguire by Frank Ryan Dernageer to whom the deceased Johnny Gilrane told the story a few days before he died. Mr. Maguire gave me the story.
- Informant
- Mr Sylvester Maguire
- Gender
- Male
