School: Mercy Convent, Rathangan
- Location:
- Rathangan, Co. Kildare
- Teacher: Sr. M. Pádraig
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0778, Page 101
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- Mrs. Brigid Behan New Street Rathangan, who is an excellent hand at telling stories is about sixty-nine years of age. She related the story of the "Enchanted Cat", which an old woman named Ellen Reilly told her when she was but a school-girl. The story was as follow.
One days a farmer was going home from the mill with a load of corn, and just as he was passing the lime-kiln a cat jumped over the gate, and perched on one of the sacks. "Tell Han Can that Katherine Anne is dead" he said to the farmer, and immediately disappeared.
That night the farmer was talking to his wife about the strange words of the cat "What did he say" said his wife. Tell Han Can that Katherine Anne is dead" he answered. Their own cat was lying in the ashes, and when he heard the words "Han Can" he jumped up and shook himself. "Oh, dog and soul", he exclaimed, and leaped out over the half door, and not until three days had elapsed did he return. It is believed that he was at the funeral of Katherine Anne.
- Informant
- Mrs Brigid Behan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Rathangan, Co. Kildare
