School: Oldtown (roll number 7470)
- Location:
- Oldtown, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: M. Ní Ruanaidhe
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0787, Page 32
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- (continued from previous page)Mass used to be said long ago. Even in the darkness of the Penal days the people heard Mass on the hillsides and back lanes. There used to be soldiers engaged in hunting for priests at that time. At that time the priests used to say Mass in the houses of the people also.My great great grand father Mr Conway lived in Westpalstown long ago. The English soldiers burned a barracks a field away from it. One day, all the soldiers left the barracks, and they left one guard to take charge. The rebels got to know this and they went up to it and broke in the door and also the windows.The English soldiers came back, and saw what was down. They thought Mr Conway and a Mr Halpin who lived near also, did it , and brought them up to the big tree in Swords to hang them. Just as they were about to hang them the Commander in Chief was coming down the road and asked them why they were hanging them, they said they broke in the doors and windows of the barracks. Then he asked them could they give any evidence that they did it. They could not and the men were set free.
severely, severely, severely
