School: Christian Brothers, Athlone
- Location:
- Athlone, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Brother Meskill
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0749, Page 204
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- XML Page 204
- XML “Friar Bland”
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- [The title is "Friar Island"]
There is an island in Lough Ree near Bally Kieran called Friar Island. The friars during the penal days used it as a hiding place from the Priest-hunters. They had a little church and cemetery on the island. Many people were buried there. The people came in boats to the cemetery with the coffins. A stone rolled out from the cemetery and met the boat. The coffin was put on the stone and the boat returned without landing at the island. The stone then conveyed the coffin to the island and into the cemetery for burial. Nobody ever accompanied the stone on its journey with the coffin. Many ruins are still to be seen on the island.
- Collector
- P. Henehan
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Bagshot Lodge, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Mrs Henehan
- Gender
- Female
