School: Errew (Mainistir) (roll number 12727)
- Location:
- Errew, Co. Mayo
- Teacher: An Br Ó Broin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0090, Page 058
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- Sean a' sagart was a noted priest - hunter.His real name was John Molloney and he lived his sister near Ballintubber a few miles from here.He used to get five pounds for every priests head from the English and he also used to kill monks and nuns.
One day Seán told his sister he was dying and to go for the priest.She went to the middle - aged priest at the (Abby) Abbey and told him to go to him.The priest got ready and went first to a young priest to tell him he was going. The young priest said "I will go instead because if there is any danger I will be able to run faster than you". When Seán got his sister gone he got the knife ready and went back to bed again. When the priest entered the room Sean jumped out of the bed and made for the priest with the knife and the priest ran till he came to a river which he could not cross and he turned back on Sean. The priest caught hold of him and knocked him. There was a beggar man coming along and he told the priest to hold Sean till he would cut his head off. So he cut the head of and that was the end of Sean a' Sagairt.
He was buried in Ballintobber graveyard and white thorn bush grew over his grave and it grew down to the ground again and withered.
