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School: Murher (B.) (roll number 13540)

Location:
Murher, Co. Kerry
Teacher:
Tomás Ó Conaill
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0405, Page 003

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0405, Page 003

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  1. XML School: Murher (B.)
  2. XML Page 003
  3. XML “Fr O'Connor of Shanagolden”

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  1. Fr O'Connor of Shanagolden

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    Fr. O'Connor was my granduncle. He was a powerful strong man.
    Lord Adare was building a castle one time and he gave the contract to an Englishman, but he told him the Irish were to get work. The contractor brought a powerful big strong Englishman with him, and anyone that could not bar stones with him got no work. Anyone that brought a letter from Fr. O'Connor from Shanagolden was to get work, but they could not bar stones with the Englishman and were sent away. Fr. O'Connor gave a letter to one poor man and he went to Adare to get work. He was put barring stones with the strong man and he was sent away because he couldn't carry up his load. "For Fr. O'Connor's sake give me work", said the poor man. "If Fr. O'Connor were here himself I'd make him work", said the foreman. When Fr. O'Connor heard it, wherever he got the torn suit of clothes, he put them on and carried his letter to Adare and was put working with the strong man. When the bar was full Fr. O'Connor said, "Is that all you're going to carry?" and the strong man said, "Maybe 'twould be enough for you when you'd be to the top with it". With that Fr. O'Connor put on another big stone on top of the load. When they were going to start he gave the bar a shake and broke the Englishman's back. Everyone got work after that.
    He died in Shanagolden and his friends were there when he was dying and he said to them, "If the parishioners want to keep me don't go against them, but if I were in Páirc a' Teampaill I'd go into the Churchyard in three jumps". When the parishioners heard that they let them bury him in Knockanure. He is buried near the wall in Knockanure Churchyard.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. historical persons (~5,068)
    2. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
        1. penal times (~4,335)
    3. place-space-environment
      1. land management (~4,110)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Tomás Ó Conaill
    Gender
    Male
    Occupation
    Múinteoir
    Informant
    C. Shine
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    84
    Occupation
    Carpenter
    Address
    Newtownsandes, Co. Kerry