School: Sean-Chill

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   “Long ago there lived in Kilkerrin a man named John Burke.”

   

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   Long ago there lived in Kilkerrin a man named John Burke. He was a terrible bad man who didn't care for anybody. He never went to mass on a Sunday and he would not believe there was hell or heaven he said when one dies that is the end of him. He had a son named Pat Burke who was a little better than himself. When John died his son had the place. One Sunday the parish priest had a sermon. He said "such a man in this parish is as bad as John Burke who is burning in hell now. Pat Burke the son was listeneing he said nothing but in a week after he invited the priest to the house. The priest went to the house. Pat gave him a great dinner when he had eaten Pat went out but the priest remained where he was. In a few minutes he returned with a gun loaded in his hand. He said to the priest "if you can't prove for me that my father is burning in hell now as you said last Sunday I will leave you lying dead on the floor. Alright said the priest follow me in an hour into the old house that is in the next field. The priest got up and went out and into the old house. Pat came after an hour the priest was kneeling down when he saw Pat he got up and stood aside just where he was kneeling the floor split and up came the father holding a spade and tongs and the devil by his side. In a few seconds it disappeared through the floor again and Pat became a very good man.

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   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)

   Folktales index

   AT0756C*: Receipt from Hell

   Language

   English

   Collector

   R. O' Connell

   Address

   Kilkerrin, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Thomas Gilligan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   70

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Acres, Co. Galway