School: Niall Mór (roll number 11843)
- Location:
- Killybegs, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: B. Mac Niallghuis
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- XML “Altar Bridge”
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- Altar Bridge;- About a mile North East of Killybegs there is a bridge called Ryan's Bridge and a few yards above this one there is another bridge called Altar Bridge or Droicead na h-Altora. One time this bridge was part of the main road but now it is overgrown with weeds and grass and is never used. It is known as Altar Bridge because in the penal days that is where mass was said. On cold winter mornings the people from Killybegs and beyond the water would go to Altar Bridge to hear mass. Then one man would keep watch lest the soldiers would come and kill them. Then if they would happen to see any of the soldiers coming they would get into their boats and row out to sea where they would be safe. Then when the soldiers would go away they would come back to mass. There was a holy water font hewn out of stone near Altar Bridge but it was taken to the Rough Wood out at the Commons. In the penal times the priest would tell one catholic family where he was going to have mass and they would tell other catholic families and so on and then they would gather on the appointed day in this place for mass. Altar Bridge was one of the principle places for saying mass.
Told by Mrs. Gallagher, Castlecommon, age 95 yrs.
Written by Mary O'Donnell, Killybegs.- Collector
- Mary O Donnell
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Killybegs, Co. Donegal
- Informant
- Mrs Gallagher
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 95
- Address
- Cashelcummin, Co. Donegal