School: An Chúil Árd (C.) (roll number 12588)
- Location:
- Coolard, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Máire Ní Liaghain
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0401, Page 359
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“The gabha beag was a wee black-smith named James Nolan,...”
(continued from previous page)down - and would be living still.
Frantically the man on the hill-top waved his red flag.
The executioner saw the signal.
They stood around the hanging man until the courier came.
Then the messenger told his tale.
The hanging smith was lowered, and behold: the body leaped to life as it touched the ground.
Around the Wee Smith's throat was a collar of steel, concealed in artificial skin, the work of the craftsmen of the forges.
He had almost cheated the gallows, but now he was swung up again, without the collar.
There was nothing now to check the tightening of the fatal rope.
So died the gabha beag.
At Midnight, so the end of this terrible story goes, seven of the dead men's nearest relatives came to the forge and there, by the uncanny light of the fire, cursed Raymond's kith and kin across(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Bridie Dowling
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Gunsborough, Co. Kerry
- Informant
- Pat Walsh
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 82
- Address
- Gunsborough, Co. Kerry