School: Curreeny, Dolla, Nenagh (roll number 16486)

Location:
Curreeny, Co. Tipperary
Teacher:
James Conlon
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0537, Page 060

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0537, Page 060

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  1. XML School: Curreeny, Dolla, Nenagh
  2. XML Page 060
  3. XML “Nell the Hill (Nell Ryan)”

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  1. About 40 years ago there was a young girl called Nell Ryan living in Gleann na Riogh (Curreeny) who at the age of 21 was supposed ‘to have gone with the good people’. Her brother was Tim Ryan and his sons are still living in Gleann na Riogh. Nell was about 6 feet high and was very good looking. At the age of 21 she ‘gave up’ eating all kinds of food and she usually lived alone in the room. Every evening, and in all seasons she would go to the well and wash her hands and face. Then she would return again to the room and about 11 or 12 o’clock she would go out through a very small window in the room and would not return till the morning. At least her people never heard her going out the door. Her health never failed even though she never took any food for 6 years. One day when the dinner was on her mother brought her down some meat cabbage and potatoes. After a while she ‘peeped’ down to see if Nell was eating it. And to her surprise she saw the finest foods that were ever placed on a table in front of Nell. Nell was eating the food brought by the ‘good people’ but she never touched the other food. Then her mother asked her how it was she never eat any food
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English