School: Carraig an Chabhaltaigh
- Location:
- Carrigaholt, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Tomás Mac Craith
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0633, Page 027
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- XML “Thomas Casey, Father Meehan and The Little Ark”
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- (continued from previous page)was the Head Agent for the Landlord, Mr Weatby. Marcus Keane, taking the law into his own hands got the roof taken off the houses and the Altar thrown on the roadside. On the third occasion Father Meehan went to say Mass in his new chapel he found it roofless. It was no use for Father Meehan to take Marcus Keane to court. He had then to say Mass in the open. He knew if he said Mass in any house in Kilbaha that house would soon be roofless. Two carts were put standing on heels and sheets were thrown over the shaft so as to form a protection for the Altar while the priest was saying the Mass.One morning in 1852 I visited Father Meehan to find out where he was to say Mass on that on that morning. Father Meehan said: "Well Tom, I have a new idea. I was in Kilrush on yesterday and I travelled to Kilkee in Moore's Omnibus. It struck me that if I made something like Moore's omnibus I could say Mass in it in Kilbaha". Moore owned a hotel in Kilkee and had cabs plying between Kilkee and Cappa to take visitors to and from his hotel.Father Meehan got Owen Collins, a Carrigaholt carpenter to build what is known as the Little Ark. It was built on the street in Carrigaholt opposite Collin's house as his shop was too small(continues on next page)
