School: San Leonard, Ballycullane
- Location:
- Saintleonards, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Mary B. Dunphy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0871, Page 065
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- Over a hundred years ago, a young man the worse for drink went into the Clugushnian Church on his way home one night. It was late. He went into one of the pews near one of the Confessionals. There he fell asleep and also fell to the ground. There he lay fast asleep and meanwhile, not observing the figure under the pew, the sexton locked the Church.
Sometime during the night the sleeper was aroused by the sound of a voice asking, "Is there anyone here can answer Mass?"
"Yes, Father," said the awakened man standing up "I can;" for he thought 'twas morning and was anxious to cover his lapse of the night before.
"Come, then" said the priest "and prepare the altar."
The boy, an old acolyte, hurried up and into the sacristy. Got everything read. The priest was veshing right beside him. Both went out to the altar after the manner of Priest & Acolyte. Mass was said. Both retired to the sacristy. The boy busied himself at the usual after-Mass jobs while the Priest unvested at the wardrobe. That done, the Priest turned to the boy and said - "God bless you, my boy. I can now go to Heaven. Many a long year I came here to say that Mass and could not find a server." That that he vanished, and left a bewildered boy in the sacristy.
It was not yet day break, and the boy was alone with his thoughts. When the Church was opened next morning, the boy went home, went to bed, and died inside a month or so! Staunton was the boy's name.
- Collector
- Mary B. Dunphy
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Teacher
