School: Dún Gar (Frenchpark) (roll number 3961)
- Location:
- Dún Gar, Co. Ros Comáin
- Teacher: Tomás Mac Mághnuis
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0243, Page 280
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- (continued from previous page)they appeared to be exceptionally careful, for it was an object of their
deepest veneration caused them to sink down into the marshy bogs. Down, down in the silence of the night. Down in literally bottomless depths for even the sounding lines of the ordnance survey have never succeeded in finding a bottom to these water holes - "The Friar Holes".
But the bell has not remained silent since. No, every time a head of the Davis family dies the hollow booming of the great bell reverberates from the bottomless
pit in which it now lies. And the shadows of the devouring flames that destroyed the sacred fane jump to life again at the summons of that bell and light up the whole countryside. And when Cloonshanville will no longer
have them (the Davis family) to lord it over their holy ground then will the bell be found again; the "Sean-mhaoil" will be made more permanent in its airy resting place, vespers will soothe with the evening shadows and matins will again awaken the dwellers in the shadow of the abbey.
(The family has lost possession of the abbey lands for upwards of 100 years - lost in gambling to Mr Arthur French later Lord De Freyne. They have now no tenantry. They no longer lord it over anything or anybody yet the bell has not been found. But the old people accept the story told to them as gospel.)
