The headless horseman rides at night
\nThe story the locals tell
\nFrom Charleville walls is seen the sight
\nOf the spectre from hell
\nAnd by the barracks wall he gallops fast
\nThe story it is said
\nLong by the canal and Bond store at last
\nThe Horseman his way he made.
\nAnd over the bridge in the nights dark
\nTo the Cemetery it makes its way
\nAnd only a solitary dog will bark
\nIn the hours before the break of day.
\nAnd through hospital grounds: through hedges all
\nNo obstacle to this apparition unreal
\nTo the Poor Law cemetery out the road
\nAs the hour on the church bells peal\u2026
\nFrom where this apparition of the otherworld?
\nOr is it a story told
\nTo scare a child to sleep at night
\nBy a grandparent old?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The headless horseman rides at night The story the locals tell From Charleville walls is seen the sight Of the spectre from hell And by the barracks wall he gallops fast The story it is said Long by the canal and Bond store at last The Horseman his way he …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[77,169],"tags":[78,867,451,2358],"class_list":["post-595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ghost-stories","category-myths-and-tales","tag-ghost-story","tag-headless-horseman","tag-irish-ghost-story","tag-tullamore","column","twocol"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7EI4f-9B","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":549,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/old-clonbroney\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":0},"title":"Old Clonbroney","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"13th September 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"This is a ghost story told to me by my mother, from her grandparents, either Kiernans Mill or Treacys. The roadway mentioned may have led onto the roads that lead to Old Clonbroney, or it may have led to a back wall, Im unsure. One night dark walking along A\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Family Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Family Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/family-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Old Clonbroney - the graveyard in the poem. Image from Google StreetView","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/09\/Old-Clonbroney.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2356,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/the-old-bond-store-ghost\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":1},"title":"The Old Bond Store Ghost","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"12th October 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0ghost tale from Tullamore retold in verse, first told by Walter Burke, former leasee of the bar in the Tullamore Dew Heritage Centre. There are many tales of tragic deaths\u00a0in the building when it was a\u00a0distillery\u00a0and a bottling plant, and we can be sure with alcohol added and\u00a0tales being exchanged\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ghost Story"","block_context":{"text":"Ghost Story","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/ghost-story\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Old Bond Store was the haunted pub in the Tullamore Dew distillery in the town","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/The-Old-Bond-Store-was-the-haunted-pub-in-the-Tullamore-Dew-distillery-in-the-town.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/The-Old-Bond-Store-was-the-haunted-pub-in-the-Tullamore-Dew-distillery-in-the-town.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/The-Old-Bond-Store-was-the-haunted-pub-in-the-Tullamore-Dew-distillery-in-the-town.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/The-Old-Bond-Store-was-the-haunted-pub-in-the-Tullamore-Dew-distillery-in-the-town.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4778,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/fireside-tales-told-at-halloween\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":2},"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":4213,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/lady-christmas-on-the-moor\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":3},"title":"Lady Christmas on the Moor","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"21st December 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"You have heard of Father Christmas, even Mrs Christmas his alleged wife... but you will not have heard of Lady Christmas... for she his but a ghost as this seasonal gothic poem tells... They call her Lady Christmas, at Christmas she does appear For it is said its at this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Death"","block_context":{"text":"Death","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/death\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fog on the Moor","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Fog-on-the-Moor.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Fog-on-the-Moor.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Fog-on-the-Moor.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/Fog-on-the-Moor.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1027,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/babser\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":4},"title":"Babser","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"1st November 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"My family came to Banagher in 1977 from Ballinalee in North Longford (via Clones, Athlone, Daingean and Moate!) and I grew up with the Banagher Horse Fair as one of my favourite memories. Due to lack of work, all three children in our family had to leave the town. Now,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Banagher"","block_context":{"text":"Banagher","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/banagher\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Babser Hynes, the house I grew up in. Banagher Horse fair happened annually right outside the door, Its one of my favourite memories while living in the town...","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Babsers.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Babsers.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/Babsers.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3888,"url":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/lovers-of-loftus-hall\/","url_meta":{"origin":595,"position":5},"title":"Lovers of Loftus Hall","author":"Tom\u00e1s \u00d3 C\u00e1rthaigh","date":"14th August 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"She was a fine maiden of thirty years At the table playing cards He, the dark stranger who had come A gentleman of kind regards. He had lost his way in the Hook Head fog As did many a traveller before Some say on horseback, more by sea The truth\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ghost Stories"","block_context":{"text":"Ghost Stories","link":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/category\/folklore-and-legend\/ghost-stories\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"View from Hook Head - Detail of painting by Julian Lovegrove","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/View-from-Hook-Head-Detail-of-painting-by-Julian-Lovegrove.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/View-from-Hook-Head-Detail-of-painting-by-Julian-Lovegrove.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/View-from-Hook-Head-Detail-of-painting-by-Julian-Lovegrove.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/View-from-Hook-Head-Detail-of-painting-by-Julian-Lovegrove.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.writingsinrhyme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/View-from-Hook-Head-Detail-of-painting-by-Julian-Lovegrove.jpg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595","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=595"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":596,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595\/revisions\/596"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/writingsinrhyme.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}