School: Clondalkin (Pres. Convent) (roll number 7883)

Location:
Clondalkin, Co. Dublin
Teacher:
Sr. M. Kevin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0795, Page 119

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0795, Page 119

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  1. XML School: Clondalkin (Pres. Convent)
  2. XML Page 119
  3. XML “Green Hills - The Gate Pillar”

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  1. A young farmer named Tom Byrne was coming home from his work one evening, he had to enter the Green Hills as it was a short cut home for him.
    It happened the night before this he heard a story about one of the Gate Pillars. He was told if he said when passing the Gate Pillars "Key hole open" and the PIllar would open. The young farmer thought this ridiculous but he said he would try. As he was passing the Pillar he pitched his fork in the ground (he had been making hay that day) and he went over to the Pillar and said "Key hole open", he had just said the words when the PIllar swung open, and he was invited inside. He thought the people inside were human as they were his own size, but what happened was, he had been made smaller by magic. They set before him a great feast as he was hungry. He ate and he danced as he thought the whole night, but really he had been dancing for twelve years. He then asked to be let home, and they let him home. When he was going out he asked the people how long he had been there and they told him. When he reached the outside world, he found that he was a withered old man, and that the fork he pitched in the ground had gone rusty.
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. supernatural and legendary beings (~14,864)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Cecilia Loughlin
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Leinster Terrace, Co. Dublin
    Informant
    Mrs Loughlin
    Relation
    Unknown
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    40
    Occupation
    Domestic worker
    Address
    Leinster Terrace, Co. Dublin