{"id":2876,"date":"2016-06-23T04:14:14","date_gmt":"2016-06-23T04:14:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/?p=2876"},"modified":"2016-06-23T04:16:40","modified_gmt":"2016-06-23T04:16:40","slug":"ghost-at-the-gate-at-willie-cartys","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/ghost-at-the-gate-at-willie-cartys\/","title":{"rendered":"Ghost at the Gate at Willie Carty’s"},"content":{"rendered":"

This is a story I heard as a child about a gate at Willie Cartys in Aughagreagh. My own father often could not open the gate, and indeed my sister could not either, though she never saw the spectre. The story behind it was recorded in the Irish Folklore Commission collection of 1934, although who or what the spectre was we do not know, it was one of many haunting’s at Willie Carty’s.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"Irish<\/a>
Irish Folklore Commission file written by Pauric Mac Greine of a telling of our family story of the tall man at the gate of Willie Carty house that I was told of as a child…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The nights dancing was finished
\nWillie Carty to his home his way made
\nHe heard near his gate a rattling of chains
\nThat filled his heart with dread<\/p>\n

A tall man stood there with sombre eyes
\nWith neither a frown nor smile
\nHis hand held fast the gate closed
\nHe stayed looking at this spectre a while.<\/p>\n

Willie stepped forward to grab the gate:
\nPlaced his hand on that of the man –
\nOnly for it to pass through like he wasn’t there
\nAs only with a ghost one can.<\/p>\n

With difficulty the gate he opened
\nThe man moved not, Willie walked straight through him
\nNot looking back or shutting the gate
\nWalked brisk to the house looking not behind him.<\/p>\n

As to the door he made his way
\nHis heart thumping with fear
\nA thumping noise came from the gate as it closed
\nWith the sound of a crashing pier!<\/p>\n

Long after that time is was said
\n– I was told by my own father –
\nWho inherited the farm when Willie had died
\nSometime round the fifties I gather<\/p>\n

That gate to open often would be hard
\nThough the hinges were often oiled well
\nThe workings inspected till working perfect
\nThe story often my father did tell.<\/p>\n

My sister too when she was young
\n– Who in such tales has little belief at all –
\nRemembers the gate like someone was holding it
\nOnly for to let go and let it swing wild against the wall!<\/p>\n

Who was the tall man who stood at the gate?
\nThe story behind it we will never know
\nWas it the Devil himself or Hanging Jack?
\nThis spectre from long ago?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This is a story I heard as a child about a gate at Willie Cartys in Aughagreagh. My own father often could not open the gate, and indeed my sister could not either, though she never saw the spectre. The story behind it was recorded in the Irish Folklore Commission …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[22,76,77,23],"tags":[2485,2342,2985],"class_list":["post-2876","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-family-stories","category-folklore-and-legend","category-ghost-stories","category-north-longford","tag-haunting","tag-north-longford","tag-willie-carty","column","twocol"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-Ko","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4778,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/fireside-tales-told-at-halloween\/","url_meta":{"origin":2876,"position":0},"title":"Fireside Tales Told at Halloween","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"18th October 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Stories of North Longford families, Of folk then dead and gone - Were told to me when I was young By those who have now passed on... The woman and wains on the wall, The snarling dog neath the old womans bed... The rattling buckets in the sheugh... The tales\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Folklore and Legend"","block_context":{"text":"Folklore and Legend","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/folklore-and-legend\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Aughagreagh.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3858,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-web-of-linen\/","url_meta":{"origin":2876,"position":1},"title":"The Web of Linen","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"4th August 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Based on a folk take of the Carty (as Carthy should be spelled!!!) family, told to the Irish Folklore Commission, Eileen's great grandfather is probably one the the three brothers from the Three Houses Field my dad spoke of... The night is dark as nights be dark Neath where children\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Cairn Hill in Longford","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Cairn-Hill-in-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Cairn-Hill-in-Longford.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Cairn-Hill-in-Longford.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Cairn-Hill-in-Longford.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Cairn-Hill-in-Longford.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4973,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-three-wishes-of-willie-the-wisp\/","url_meta":{"origin":2876,"position":2},"title":"The Three Wishes of Willie the Wisp","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"6th May 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Based on the story from the Folklore Commission https:\/\/www.duchas.ie\/en\/cbes\/5009178\/4994671 There once was a blacksmith as broke as could be, Who no future or hope in his life he could see, Working one day with anvil and hammer and tongs Thinking the issues of the time and life woes and its\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Irish Folklore Commission - Poems inspired by records from"","block_context":{"text":"Irish Folklore Commission - Poems inspired by records from","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ireland\/irish-folklore-commission-poems-inspired-by-records-from\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Fairy in the Forge - J McNiece","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/The-Fairy-in-the-Forge-J-McNiece.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/The-Fairy-in-the-Forge-J-McNiece.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/The-Fairy-in-the-Forge-J-McNiece.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.celtichosting.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/05\/The-Fairy-in-the-Forge-J-McNiece.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2959,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/gurteen-lake-and-the-curse-of-the-mccarthys\/","url_meta":{"origin":2876,"position":3},"title":"Gurteen Lake and the Curse of the McCarthys","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"12th July 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Verse from another legend from Longford recorded by the Irish Folklore Commission From Clonbroney the priest was travelling Was making his weary way When to call in on Protestant neighbours He decided to: was invited to stay For all children of Christ are Christian No matter how that they pray\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Folklore and Legend"","block_context":{"text":"Folklore and Legend","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/folklore-and-legend\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Gurteen Lake in Ballinalee","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gurteen-Lake-in-Ballinalee-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gurteen-Lake-in-Ballinalee-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gurteen-Lake-in-Ballinalee-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gurteen-Lake-in-Ballinalee-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/07\/Gurteen-Lake-in-Ballinalee-1.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5196,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-big-100-my-father-never-got-to-see\/","url_meta":{"origin":2876,"position":4},"title":"The Big 100 My Father Never Got to See","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"22nd February 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Dad would have been one hundred today, if still alive. 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From the Irish Folklore Commission In days gone by a tradition old Of which the Church condemns though what they are told By clergy the folk pay little heed For superstition and tradition they had a need And so together on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Death"","block_context":{"text":"Death","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/death\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dozen candles set un a dungpile - the first that went out said its owner would die within a year according to old Longford tradition","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Dozen-candles-set-un-a-dungpile-the-first-that-went-out-said-its-owner-would-die-within-a-year-according-to-old-Longford-tradition.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2876"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2882,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2876\/revisions\/2882"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2876"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2876"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2876"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}