School: Killahan
- Location:
- Killahan, Co. Kerry
- Teacher: Bean Uí Ríoghbhardáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0413, Page 366
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“Many years ago an old man, his wife and only son lived in a small house near Killahan Church.”
Many years ago an old man, his wife and only son lived in a small house near Killahan Church. Their family name was Higgins. One time the father and son took very ill, and no doctor could find out what was wrong with them, and could not cure them.
One afternoon, however, an old woman walked in, leaning on a crutch. They all believed she was from the other world. She spoke to the wife, and told her that she could cure one of the two, but that the wife should decide herself which one. She began thinking and thinking and at last she said that as her husband was old, and as the son had his life before him she would prefer to have the son cured. Accordingly, the old woman told her to go to the garden and get a few "sunny" potatoes and boil them, and to give the water in which they were boiled to him to drink and that he would be cured immediately. The woman did so, and the boy was restored to perfect health. The father had died in the meantime.
She never saw the woman again, even to thank her.(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Maurice Allen
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- c. 45
- Address
- Killahan, Co. Kerry