School: Stackallen (roll number 1309)

Location:
Stackallan, Co. Meath
Teacher:
P.T. Mac Gabhann
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0714, Page 025

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0714, Page 025

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  1. XML School: Stackallen
  2. XML Page 025
  3. XML “Hidden Treasure”

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  1. Well in my townland there is a moat. I have heard many different stories about that moat. It is not a very big moat and it is in Mr Dean's field. There are threnches around this moat and it is near Gernonstown river. Here is one of the stories I heard about it.
    I heard it from a very old man and his name is Paddy Springon. Here is the story as I heard it. He said, "this moate was once the site of a lone bush, which seemed to guard this moate of clay and earth, which was no doubt the work of human hands away in the far off ages. He said that more than two hundred years ago that field that contained this moat was about to be tilled for wheat, and the farmer that owned this farm was a very covetous man. The first thing he ordered was to get this moate levelled and he said it was a nuisance in the field. One day an old man told him not to interfere with it as it contained a treasure at which many men lost their lives in trying to seek it. The man that owned the field then ordered his men to get it levelled out without any further delay. The men started to level
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. genre
      1. belief (~391)
        1. folk belief (~2,535)
          1. treasure legends (~7,411)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Thomas Martin
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Gernonstown, Co. Meath
    Informant
    James Mc Quillan
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    c. 75
    Address
    Gernonstown, Co. Meath
    Informant
    Mike Creegan
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    c. 65
    Address
    Gernonstown, Co. Meath
    Informant
    Pat Springan
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    c. 65
    Address
    Harlinstown, Co. Meath