School: Stillorgan (roll number 2472)
- Location:
- Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
- Teacher: -
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0797, Page 163
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- A curious superstition is still prevalent among the Irish people, that on May Day the ancient kings of Ireland arise from their graves and gather together a great army of the dead, horse and foot, and they tell the troops that the hour has come to fight for Ireland, and they must be ready to march as commanded. Then the spectral warriors clash their sheilds and respond with wild cries to the kings and chies and the captains of the nation. The last time the kings arose from their graves was, it is said, in 1848, when the tramp and shouts of the marching men resounded distinctly through the hills; but when the people rushed to the spot where the shields clashed and the voices sounded, not a form was visible; the hosts of the dead warriors had vanished into air.
- Collector
- Eamon Byrne
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Stillorgan, Co. Dublin
