School: Levitstown, Mageney
- Location:
- Levitstown, Co. Kildare
- Teacher: Elizabeth Hearne
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0781, Page 309
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- Abbeydown most dark and dreary,
Where the Cuckoo's notes we never hear.About half a mile outside the villiage of Cloneygall there once stood a fine old Castle but now no trace of it remains to be seen except the outline of its foundation. Right opposite this old Castle on the other side of the valley and close to the river Derry stood another old building called the Abbey in which three hundred Monks and Friars lived, this was in the day's of Cromwell. When he and his soldiers marched from Wexford they halted at a place known as the watchhouse on the outskirts of Cloneygall. He sent on two of his men as spies to the Abbey to accertain if the Monk were at prayer in the Abbey, and if so the signal was to be Cuckoo, three times. At length the signal was given and immeadtly Cromwell and his soldiers surrounded the Abbey. Their first move was, to nail up the doors and windows, and afterwards to set fire to and burn the building. Not one of the unfortunate Monks excaped death.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Michael Foley
- Gender
- Male
