The stories told on these pages are from  a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. 
The children recorded (over&nbsp740,000 handwritten pages) of this material from their parents, grandparents and neighbours.

These are their stories in their own words.

Wexford – Hidden Treasure


SCHOOL: Drummond | ADDRESS: Drummin, Co. Carlow


Proud Irish Heritage, Co. Wexford, Ireland.
County Wexford, Ireland

A man lived in County Wexford on a small farm of bad land and he always wished to dream about gold. The dream came at last. He dreamt if he went to the bridge of London he would find thousands of pounds. He was so poor he did not know how he would get to London.

He took out his two pigs to the fair and sold them and started off. Next day when he reached the bridge of London to his great surprise there were thousands going back and forth all day but no sign of gold.

Pat’s money was almost gone but tired and weary Pat sat down. A man came towards him and said. “What are you doing here the last three days because i notice you going back and forth?”

“Oisin” said Pat” “I dreamt I would find a bag of money when, I would come here”

“You fool,” said the stranger. “I dreamt if I went to a haggard in a certain townland in County Wexford where an elder tree grows, I would find a crock of gold.

That was Pat’s own haggard. Pat lost no time in coming back from London.

He told his wife Mary to get the pick and spade So the two started to root under an elder tree. When they were down about six feet there they found the crock of a thousand gold coins.

Pat and his wife were so delighted that they danced and sang all night. After a year they were the richest people in the county Wexford living in a nice house.

One day a poor scholar came in and Pat showed him the gold crock. There was writing on one side that he did not understand. The poor scholar told him another crock of gold was at the other side of it.

They invited all the nobility of Wexford county and gave the biggest dinner that was ever given in Ireland. It lasted a whole week so Pat and his wife are the biggest people in Ireland today.


Bibliography

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0903, Page 228” by Dúchas © National Folklore Collection, UCD is licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.

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