School: Coralstown (roll number 1314)
- Location:
- Correllstown, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: P. Ó Beóláin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0730, Page 029
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- XML School: Coralstown
- XML Page 029
- XML “Touch Paper”
- XML “Rattin Castle”
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- About one hundred years ago there were no matches and instead the people used what they called "touch paper" to light their pipes. They used to dissolve nitre in a dish of water and steep brown paper in it. When it was steeped it was taken out, dried thoroughly and put into their pockets. They also used to carry a small flint stone in their pockets. When they wanted to light their pipes they would tear off a bit of the paper strike the stone with a knife which would cause a spark and it would ignite the paper.
- Rattin - about three miles from Coralstown school was once the residence of the Darcy family. In the days of Cromwell all their property was confiscated and the family scattered far and wide. Many weird stories are connected with Rattin Castle. The ghost of Rattin Castle, in the form of a black dog, always makes his appearance before the death of any member of the family. The story runs thus about four centuries ago when the(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Brendan Cleary
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 13
- Address
- Ballinla, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Thomas Cleary
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballinla, Co. Westmeath
