School: San Leonard, Ballycullane
- Location:
- Saintleonards, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Mary B. Dunphy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0871, Page 076
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- A priest was celebrating Mass in hiding at the Rock of Boley, the people were there and also men on watch. Suddenly, seven red coats were spied coming the way and the alarm was given. The people all cleared away in every direction. Only one man remained to defend the priest at the Holy Sacrifice.
He sprang at the soldiers and with supernatural strength overwhelmed them. The priest on finishing Mass came to the man, congratulated him on his bravery, and asked him what favour would he (the priest) ask from God for him. "To have a priest beside me at the hour of my death" said the man. "You will not only have a priest" said the priest "but you will have seven priests with you."
Years passed. The man, now old, was on his death-bed. No priest could be got for him in this parish - they were all from home. Someone said there was a great dinner going on at Lamberts of Cornagh and there would surely be priests there. A messenger was sent. Seven priests were at the dinner. When the sick call was announced, each priest sprang to his feet, and so the seven priests went to the dying man. So instead of one priest at his death bed he had seven.
- Collector
- Mary B. Dunphy
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Teacher
- Informant
- Miss Mary Doyle
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Boley, Co. Wexford
