School: Béal Átha Fhinghín
- Location:
- Ballineen, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Eibhlín, Bean Uí Dhéisigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0310, Page 052
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- About 70 years ago there lived in the village of Ballineen Co. Cork a very famous character called Moll Carroll. This woman was supposed to hold communication with the dead. It was usual for some of the credulous inhabitants to consult her as to where the departed were. When persons or cattle got sick she set Charms and made potions for them For all this she was well paid and she amassed a large amount of money. People dreaded her wrath for she was looked as a wizard. Needless to say her demands were never refused. The Priests of the parish of Enniskean frequently referred to her doings from the Altar and warned people against It was useless, because when she was able to tell people, whom she had scarcely met, family troubles and family secrets, and could describe furniture of houses she had never seen, it was firmly believed that she had supernatural power.
On her death she acknowledged to the priest that all the information she possessed she obtained from a man called Dan Harts, who visited her secretly and got part of her earnings. He was a pedlar and travelled through the parish selling his wares.
