School: Cluain an Ghabhláin, Cill Mhichíl
- Location:
- Kilmihil, Co. Clare
- Teacher: Micheál Ó Maolruanaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0602, Page 397
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- (continued from previous page)Michael's parish by building a new church for the people. The parishoners were assembled on the chosen site and listened to an eloquent appeal for money for the work; the fear of the Landlords was such that after the sermon not one dared step forward to open the subscription and the project was like to fall through as a result. Suddenly however, there was noticed a movement of the crowd and by degrees a shabbily dressed stranger elbowed and pushed his way to the fore. His rags of clothes and down-at-heel boots proclaimed him a man of the roads, yet none there knew him nor could anyone say they had ever seen him before. Boldly he walked up to the table at which the priest sat awaiting the subscriptions which his parishoners were afraid to give, and fumbled in his rags and produced a sovereign which placed on the table. He then turned without a word, pushed his way back into the crowd and disappeared, never to be seen by anyone in the parish afterwards.
His example electrified the cowed peasants. Eagerly they pressed forward, all fear of the Land lords banished by the bold carriage of the ragged travelling man. Money flowed in and St. Michael's church became again a reality. Various conjectures were made as to the identity of the stranger, but no one could say who he was and at last it became accepted that he was St. Michael himself who, under(continues on next page)
