School: Cluain Mór (1), Baile an Droichid

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1. The Blacksmith and the Devil (continued)

   

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   lay a crown so Mick was delighted + ran to hold the stirrup for the gent to put his foot in to hold the horse. When he put his foot in the stirrup Mick saw that it was a cloven foot + his two eyes were like two sparks of fire looking down at Mick.
   The smith watched him until he turned down an old lane that ran through Clerches plot but is now closed. Mick recovered after a bit + walked in to his wife + the first question she asked him was did he give you any money. 'Yes' says he, there's half a crown pitching it into the window beyond the wife. Who was he she asked him. 'I don't know' says he unless he was the devil he went down the old lane at the Crabbush. In the morning the wife went to get the half crown for to go for the breakfast. There was nothing there only an old fairy cap.

   The lane I refer to went through Clerche;s plot: there is about 70 yards of it still below the plot. There was an old crab tree at the entrance at the road + the old people said it was an old road that went out straight to the castle for there was logs of timber raised out of the soft ground + across the streams time after time by the old people + they say most of the stores used in the building of Clonmore castle work that way from Ballyhane + Killalongford.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   James Byrne

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   70

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Gowle, Co. Wicklow