School: Cnocán Mhichíl Naofa (Clochar)

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1. Local Heroes

   

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   Sean-na-Sagart whose real name was Maloney was known in Ireland as the priest hunter. For every priest he killed he got five pounds from the English. He was a native of Castlebar. He lived in a village called Clouerlinch outside Castlebar. The priests could not move out of their houses because Sean-a-Sagart would hear tidings of them and kill them. They were hiding in caves and in mountains from him. After a time he left Ireland and did not come back for some time. He came back to his sister who was living in Courerlinch and knocked at the door. She asked who was there. He told her who it was and she said she would not let him in. He begged and implored of her to let him in and he asked her to send for the priest that he was dying and that he was sorry for his sins. The sister let him in and sent for a priest. There was a parish priest and a curate in the neighbourhood. The parish priest came and when he was going to have Sean-a-Sagart's confession Sean took a daggar and struck off the priest's head. . He got £5 for that at a later period. The young curate got uneasy and said he would go. Just as he was outside the house, Sean-a-Sagart came out and followed him. They had to cross a river and the priest jumped the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. historical persons (~5,068)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Delia Connelly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Claremorris, Co. Mayo

   Informant

   Dr C. Maguire

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Doctor

   Address

   Claremorris, Co. Mayo