School: Béal Átha an Dá Chab

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1. A Story

   

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   To the south-west of Youghal there is a headland stretching out into the sea. On top of this hill there is a wonderful rock to be seen. During three months of every year it is quite bare like every other rock, having nothing growing on it; but during the remainder of every year moss grows thickly on it. This moss does not grow like the moss on other rocks. It takes the shape of three men, and every body can see the forms distinctly.
   It is said the three figures are of three priests who were drowned at the foot of the hill. They were on board a ship, and the captain had been fooled by a fire which had been lighted on the shore by robbers, so that the ship would be wrecked when she would come too near the land, and then they would steal away her cargo and any valuables owned by the crew.
   A curse fell on each one of this crowd of robbers. The old people say that they all met sudden deaths. The last survivor of the gang had not a day's peace. The drowned sailors' ghosts used be always after him, tormenting and worrying him. When he used be ploughing the sailors used be in the trench beside him, and they tormenting

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Minnie Sullivan

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   14

   Address

   Ballydehob, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Miss O' Mahony

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Ballydehob, Co. Cork