School: St. Brigid's Convent, Kildraught

Location:
Celbridge, Co. Kildare
Teacher:
Sr. Donatus
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0772, Page 069

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0772, Page 069

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  1. XML School: St. Brigid's Convent, Kildraught
  2. XML Page 069
  3. XML “Newtown Stud Farm”

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  1. More than sixty years ago, a fever broke out in Celbridge called the "Black Pock".
    The Hospital was not able to accomodate all the patients, so the board of guardians were looking for an idle building to put the patients in.
    They asked the McKennas for Coolfitch House, and it was given to them. Later, they thought it too small so they took Newtown House. The patients died in great numbers and nobody would touch the corpses.
    There was an old man named Paddy Lyons who used to wheel the corpses in a hand cart to the grave yard for burial, until he got a pony to carry them away.
    The Dunnes of Coolfitch had the making of the coffins. The old man had £2 for each corpse he buried. Later on, this place was purchased by the late Mr. Kennedy of
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. time
      1. historical periods by name (~25)
        1. penal times (~4,335)
    2. place-space-environment
      1. land management (~4,110)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Marie Mc Kenna
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Kearneystown Lower, Co. Kildare
    Informant
    Edward Mc Kenna
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Kearneystown Lower, Co. Kildare