School: Clonmellon (B.) (roll number 9500)
- Location:
- Clonmellon, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: P. Ó Droighneáin
![The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 017](https://doras.gaois.ie/cbes/CBES_0725%2FCBES_0725_017.jpg?width=1600&quality=85)
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 017
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- XML School: Clonmellon (B.)
- XML Page 017
- XML “Story of Long Ago”
- XML “Tom Kenny's Ghost”
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On this page
- Once there was a ghost at Rosmead grand gate (at a place called "Smiling Bess" on road between Clonmellon and Delvin. The priests and people of the district came with lighted candles and walked the road backwards and forwards but failed to find it. (ghost). One of the priests proposed to send to Delvin for Father Cahill the Parish Priest. A boy went into Delvin for him. The P.P. got three handkerchiefs and gave them to the boy. The priest went out to the crowd where the ghost was seen and he began reading. When he had done reading the ghost appeared. The priest asked him where he was when he was called first. He (ghost) said he was in Hell.
"Where were you when I called you the second time?".
"I was loosening the chains."
"Where were you when I called you the third time?"
"I was coming on my way".
"Come with me, now" said the priest. He brought him up the Avenue. There was a river going across the Avenue and a bridge on it. He (ghost) said to the priest
"Settle me here between the "fraught" (froth?) and the water".
"I will not; you would do more harm there than where you were. Come on with me."
He brought him over to a big oak tree in the lawn. He got an auger and bored a hole in the tree. He told him (ghost) to go in (?) and he did so and he (P.P.) plugged the hole and told the people never to burn the tree. From that day on the ghost was seen no more. - Tom Kenny had a man thatching his house about 70 years ago. The Thatcher sent Tom out for Scallops ( of "ní hé lá na ghaoithe lá na SCOLB") He had the scallops just out when a man came up to him. He (the man) asked him where Tom Kenny lived. "Do you want him? said Tom," I am Tom Kenny". "You're the very man I want; a friend of yours is after dying in Connaught, and you must go to the minute" (?) "I'll have to go in to dress" (Tom) "No, you will not,(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Mícheal Ó Gadhra
- Gender
- Male