Collectanea.
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with him. So he commenced to build Sleady Castle then, but he was rather slow to undertake such a heavy job, for he thought — had he means enough to build it ? So all the MacGrath family, priests and all, came to help Philip, and the building went on grand. Well, they were after working at it for seven years. Then it was finished, and the MacGraths came to live in it. But MacGrath died after the seven years of building, and so he never came to live in it. Well Mrs. MacGrath had four childer, — three girls anil a boy ; but the son died in a short time after. So there was only the widow and the three daughters left then. Well, the daughters used to visit Clonmel occasionally, and they got to be friendly with three young officers there, for Clonmel used to be a great place for sodgers at the time. So they asked their mother's leave for to give a party at the Castle for these officers, and she gave them the leave. Well, there was a noted robber in the vicinity who was for a long time wishful to come to Sleady Castle to rob it, and the robber's name was Green. So he found out that these officers were coming, and it was a grand oppor- tunity for him. Now this robber had two servants, (and 1 suppose the servants were as good as the master). So one of the servants got friendly with one of the servant girls in the Castle. So she promised him that she'd get the key of the drawbridge, if possible, on the day the party was held, for ye know the Castle was sur- rounded with water. So she told him how she'd give the signal if she'd got the key. And this was the signal : — There was a small window in the top o' the Castle, and she'd put a blue light in the window if she had the key, and they'd be well able to see the light in their cave. So the officers came, and their servants, and there was a great blow up at the Castle. Now Mrs. MacGrath was never known to let the key of the drawbridge out of her hands from the time that her husband died till then. But she left the key in the kitchen this night by mistake. Well, Mrs. MacGrath's and the officers' servants were enjoying themselves in the kitchen, but they were not content with their enjoyment, but they wanted to bring the officers' servants to the publichouse near at hand. So they went off, and then the girl went and gave her signal with the blue light ; and Green and his men came then, and they had no difficulty in getting in. They popped upstairs to the diningroom
