School: Abbeyleix (South) (roll number 14260)
- Location:
- Abbeyleix, Co. Laois
- Teacher: Mrs Galbraith
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0831, Page 329
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- There is a lake in the estate of Lord Castletown. This estate is west of Ballacolla in Leix. There was once a village where the lake now is. The lake covers 15 acres. It is said there was a village there and a draw well in it. A wicked woman who put spells on people lived there.
One day this woman asked a child to bring some water from the well. She got the water and on putting back the cover over the well it fell in. When the child came back from the well and told the woman about the cover falling into the well, the woman said "Go back again and get another cover." But the child said she was in a hurry and would not go back to cover it. The woman cursed the well and in a short time the well began to overflow and before an hour was over the whole village was covered. The village was in a valley and on a small hill the castle stood.
The castle is now in ruins and is to be seen close to the lake. It is said that the ruined village is to be seen on fine(continues on next page)
