SCHOOL: Kilbride | ADDRESS: Kilbride, Co. Wicklow
The Hell Fire Club, or the Brass Castle is situated near Rathfarnham in the Co Dublin. My Great-grandfather used to pass by the Brass Castle on his way home from work, (he was a mason) he had a habit of hitting the wall with his trowel to hear the ring of the brass.
One night a priest had to go on a sick call. When he was coming home through the mountains he lost his way. Seeing a light he went in that direction. He knocked at the door of the house, which happened to be the Brass Castle – The door was opened by a man who was dressed in black with a black mask on his face.
The priest was brought in to a room. Sitting at a large table were twelve men dressed the same as the first one. The men were playing cards. On the table was seated a large black cat. The men defied the priest to put the cat away. The priest ordered the cat down, but it never moved. Again he ordered it down, but the cat did not move. The men laughed at the priest and jeered him.
The third time the priest said “Begone Satan”. The cat jumped from the table and disappeared up the chimney with a loud roar. The priest told the men that the cat was the devil.
The men were never heard of again. The priest got home safe, and from that time onward the Brass Castle was called the Hell Fire Club.
This story is true. It was told to me by mother, because the Brass Castle belonged to her ancestors.
Bibliography
“The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0913, Page 124” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.