School: Cloonsarn (roll number 16025)

Location:
Lisgillock Glebe, Co. Leitrim
Teacher:
Peter Kilkenny
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0221, Page 659

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0221, Page 659

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  1. Thomas Gilfillan was a farmer who lived in the townland of Aughavas, Carrigallen, Co Leitrim. He died about twenty five years ago aged 75.
    He was a man over six feet and of power frame, having the appearance more of strength than of fleetness. My father and this man were neighbours and grew up together nearly the same age. My father (R.I.P.) often told us that Thomas Gilfillan was the strongest man in the parish in his time. And one of his feats of strength was: There is to the present day a great strong heavy iron gate on Aughavas Graveyard. This gate is no less than three hundred weight. Now Thomas Gilfillan could catch this gate in his two hands, while standing in front of it, and with two of the heaviest man around standing on it, with their weight on it, he could lift all without letting his knees touch it. The two men were at least one with the other three hundred weight so that in all he lifted about 6 1/2 hundreds.
    My father told me he was witness to this feat. Other strong man of the time did lift the gate with one man on it.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. historical persons (~5,068)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Peter Kilkenny