School: Cushinstown (roll number 3146)
- Location:
- Cushinstown, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Rita Dardis
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0686, Page 066
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- XML School: Cushinstown
- XML Page 066
- XML “Brett the Robber”
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On this page
- Long years ago a person named Langan lived at Gilliamstown. He chased a highway robber to Julianstown. Brett, as the robber was called had to run, while Langan, who chased him was on horseback. The robber swam several rivers, and the powder in his gun got damp, so that it was of no value to him. He hid himself in a loft at Julianstown. Langan went up, and found him, and threw him down to the Yeomen who were in the yard below.
Brett was put into prison, but one day he excaped and went back to Gilliamstown to shoot Langan. Just as he was about to fire the fatal shot through a window, a lady passed between himself and Langan. As he did not want to shoot the woman, he did not shoot at all. Off course he was in a desperate hurry as the soldiers were on his trail. Later a poem was made, and the poet wrote as if he were Brett himself. These lines are the only ones remembered,
"Only my powder did get damp,
I'd make him retire.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Malachy Lynch
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Kilmoon, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Thomas Wall
- Relation
- Relative (other than parent or grandparent)
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Hawkinstown, Co. Meath
