Carn na Mairbh

Told by Kate Healy, Barnaderg, aged 75

Dúchas.ie 1937 Schools Folklore collection - Barnaderg NS (Boys)

Carn na Marbh told by Kate Healy, Barnaderg, Age 15)
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Carn na Marbh continued - told by Kate Healy, Barnaderg Age 15)
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( Canon Bourke says that in order that this honour be conferred on a dead hero he must face at least 50 of his enemies and kill at least 10 before he succumbs. His body is then cremated and enclosed in an urn, and the whole covered by a cairn – to remember (?) of the Sept is to pass the grave without adding his quota to the pile )

Carn na Mairbh

Every time we pass the road, we see a heap of stones on the side of the road: near “Brannelly’s shop. We want to know how did that heap come there”.

That’s is just what I am goin to tell you”. About hundred years ago there was some kind of a war in Ireland. One of the soldiers were killed, and was buried under that heap of stones: which we see when we are passing by. Every funeral that ever passed that road would stand. They would stand the horses and carts:- and every single one that followed the funeral would pick up a stone and fire it in over the grave saying in the “Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost amen”. Every funeral that passed would do that until they wouldn’t leave a stone in the roads or in the holes of the walls but they’d fire in.

Getting Bigger and Bigger

The heap began to get bigger and bigger!. They had to give it up this custom, because they weren’t leaving a stone or a stick along the roadside but they’d fire in. The heap is still to be seen there yet. It was said a bayonet and a skull was found there. We can’t find out who found it. My grandfather may the “Lord have mercy on him” was cutting an old hawthorn-bush anear that heap of stones. One of the thorns out of it went into his finger and it did not get better for three months. It is said it is not right to clear away anything where dead is buried.

Told by Kate Healy, Barnaderg, Aged 15.

END.

This page was added on 15/01/2023.

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