School: Clochar na Trócaire, Nenagh
- Location:
- An tAonach, Co. Thiobraid Árann
- Teacher: An tSr. Seanán
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0535, Page 042
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- The Gobán Saor was a native of South Tipperary he was the nest mason in Ireland in olden times. His father was a mason also, but he never say his father working. The way he learned his trade was He saw an old book in the corner of his home and he picked it up and read it. From that, he was the greatest mason in Ireland.
When Holy Cross Abbey was being built he went to the foreman to ask for work and the foreman asked him, what work was he able to do, The Gobán answered I can do masonary.
You may make a cat- o- nine tails while we are at our dinner, said the foreman mockingly. The Gobán did as he was told, and before the dinner was over, he had the cat-o-nine tails beautifully carved out of a large stone, and had it put into the masonary and fled to safety, as all the other masons were trying to kill him.
It is said that the cat -o- nine tails is still to be seen there
- Collector
- Nora Keogh
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- An tAonach, Co. Thiobraid Árann
- Informant
- Mrs Keogh
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 33
- Occupation
- Domestic worker
- Address
- An tAonach, Co. Thiobraid Árann
