School: Kilmore (roll number 16637)
- Location:
- Kilmore, Co. Roscommon
- Teacher: Máiréad, Bean Mhic Giolla Críost
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0254, Page 193
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- A Drowning Story
There were two women one time and they had cows grazing beside a beautiful lake in Loughpark in Kilglass. One morning they went to milk them and they brought with them the two biggest boys. It was a beautiful sunny morning in July or August. One of the lads said he would go for a swim as the water looked so coaxing. The other lad said he would go too and in the two of them went.
There was a nice small green island about ten yards away, and they said they would swim out to it. They got as far as the island good enough, but after a short time a blast of wind came and swept them off it. Then they were drowned out in the deep.
Every night the boys came back to warm themselves when they got the others all in bed. One of the women heard noise in the kitchen one night after she going to bed. She got up to see what it was. Who did she see beside the fire, but her own son who was drowned.
Every night after that the woman used to put down a big fire, so that they might warm themselved well when they would come in.
After an hour or so they always got up and went away but never spoke to any of them.
