The Old Castle

There is a ruin of an old castle in a field belonging to Michael Tracey. There is a story told about a man named Paddy Byrne who used to go to England every year to work for a man named Lord Robert Grey. One year he didn’t have enough money to pay his ticket to England and stayed at home instead. The landlord ordered him to pay his rent or he would evict him. Paddy lived with his wife and a servant boy named Mick O’Connor. All they had was a stand of oats. Himself and the boys threshed the oats and got them bagged and ready for the market. He was on his way to Galway when he was stopped by a gentleman who said he would buy the oats. He went to the Glen as ordered by the gentleman and found his castle. At the end of the story Paddy comes out of a deep sleep, his landlord thinking he was dead gets a fright at seeing him and gives him a receipt for the rent for 20 years.

Collector: Julia Cloonan

Informant: Honoria Cloonan, Clogh, Co. Galway

Place: Newcastle, Co. Galway

Footnote: Duchas, ‘The Schools’ Collection’, www.duchas.ie