School: Kilmore (roll number 16637)
- Location:
- Kilmore, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Máiréad, Bean Mhic Giolla Críost
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- XML School: Kilmore
- XML Page 137
- XML “The Penal Times”
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- In the Penal Times the English would give five pounds to anyone who would spy on a priest saying Mass. Captain O Doherty then lived in Hilmore House and he was one of the paid agents of the government for hunting down the priests. It was a well known fact that a priest used to say Mass on a nearby hill, but somehow they could not track him down.
This morning Mass was being celebrated as usual, and a man named Beirne from a place called bloomcommon arrived at Kilmore House to inform on the priest and so earn his money. This man brought O Doherty to the place where the priest was saying Mass but he escaped at that time as on the way O Doherty's horse fell and broke his neck. Then Beirne exclaimed to the Red-boat how "footy" you lost him. (any) The Beirnes were ever called since the "Footy Beirnes" up to the last generation.
Violet heard this story from her Aunt who told it to her mother. The mother is now over 50 years, and the Aunt who was over 80 years is about 10 years dead.- Collector
- Violet Notley
- Gender
- Female