School: Dún Gar (Frenchpark) (roll number 3961)
- Location:
- Frenchpark, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Tomás Mac Mághnuis
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0243, Page 284
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- (continued from previous page)and the gate leading into his house there was up to the year 1921 a great elm tree. It was called "The Hanging Tree". I never heard any Irish name for it. Now this tree was directly opposite the termon cross I've referred to on page 21. It was thus in the middle of the abbey lands which had been given to the Davis family. It was also within a couple of hundred yards from the ford across the Carraig na mBráthar. The Davis' would appear to been a kind of lord wardens in this area. The story is, at all events, that any of the poor Irish who had been condemned to Hell or Connaught could not move about except supplied with passes by those appointed to give them by the Cromwellian authorities. Now I never heard that the Dillons or Costellos or Frenches had anything to do with this pass system that all travellers passing through the Davis territory from the west, or mere Irish coming from the east had to produce their passes. On their failure to do so they were without further ado hanged from the branches of the elm tree which thus became a haunted place. The tradition of the place is that while the tree stood Ireland never could be free. It is a rather peculiar coincidence that it fell in March 1921. In order to clear the road it was cut in length. Some of the lengths were brought into the priest's yard(continues on next page)
