School: Gortnacart (roll number 15554)

Location:
Gortnacart Glebe, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
León Ó hÚallaigh
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1042, Page 54

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1042, Page 54

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  1. XML School: Gortnacart
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  3. XML “Local Tradition - Graveyard, Altar and Holy Well”

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    became parish priest of "Fanad" and is buried there. His descendants still own the land where the altar and holy well are. The present owner claims to be a great great Grand-nephew of "Father Gallagher's." This well was very deep and for years it was only used for cattle to drink from, but the present owner closed it lest some of the cattle should fall in and be drowned.
    Now to return to the Graveyard. During the time that Maxwell owned Árd-an-Mhuilinn there was another man living beside him and his real name is not known just now but he had a nick name that has lived to the present day. "Seánín".
    This "Seánín" was employed to work and crop the graveyard but after his first day's work he went to bed very tired and in the morning the ears were eaten off every one of his family by rats. He was recommended to cease the work by all the neighbours, which he did and, the sight of the graveyard has never been touched since and the old seancuidhthe tell us that this is the reason that the mounds after so many years still remain untouched over the graves.
    Now the eight of the altar in the wood, which was a most suitable place to conceal the priest and the congregation - the graveyard for the burial of corpses and the holy well, which supplied holy water
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. objects
      1. man-made structures
        1. historical and commemorative structures (~6,794)
          1. graveyards (~2,501)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Susan Mc Hugh
    Gender
    Female
    Age
    87
    Occupation
    Farmer
    Address
    Doochill North, Co. Donegal