School: Óméith (roll number 3001)
- Location:
- Omeath, Co. Louth
- Teacher: D. Ó Cuilinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0657, Page 224
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- XML “In the Penal Days”
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- During the Penal Days many of the Omeath people used to sleep in caves on Cornamuckla mountain. Every evening at dusk dark shadows could be seen moving along the path leading to the mountain. One night however they were surprised by the soldiers "Welsh Horse" and almost every one was slain. So scared were the rest of the natives when the others did not return that they were afraid to remove the bodies for weeks. "Casán Bealach Sgáthach" or something like that, meaning the "Path of Destruction" is the name given to this path locally.
There is a field in Cornamuckla where mass was celebrated in the Penal Days. The priest came dressed as a beggar and the people all gathered to hear mass. Sentinels were set lest they be taken unawares. One side was so impassable that no sentinel was ever posted there. But, alas! one day the dreaded yoemen found a path through, took the party unawares and butchered them all.(continues on next page)
