School: Coill-Chéim (roll number 9044)
- Location:
- Calhame, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán Mac Cuinneagáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1038, Page 28
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- XML School: Coill-Chéim
- XML Page 28
- XML “A True Story”
- XML “Second Version of Disaster in Bruckless Bay”
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- (continued from previous page)A storm arose which soiled our clothes which made us shout and bail? [call?].
- About a hundred years ago a great disaster occurred in Bruckless bay. Great numbers of lives were lost. It is said that before the disaster occurred an old witch named Bridget Devenney had a Sheebin, that is she was selling whiskey without a licence. Some of the fishermen came and drank the whiskey but refused to pay for it. At that time there was a great herring fishing in the bay. That evening they went out to shoot their nets and when the boats were scattered everywhere in the bay, she got the full of a tub of water and put a cap or small wooden dish on top of it. Then she worked some magic and she sent her daughter three times to the tub to see what was happening the dish, and when the dish turned over the boats capsized.
Then a storm rose and the waves rolled in over the highest banks. The local fishermen knew the landing places between the rocks and some of them landed safely. The strangers did not know where to land and most of their boats were smashed to pieces on the rocks and the crews drowned. The only man from the district(continues on next page) - Informant
- P. Mc Closkey
