I remember when the monks came to Bun a Corraig (a village in central Achill) and ‘twas near a great flight when they were gathering stories for the monastery. Taws in Gallagher’s land (owners of the Public house is now rented by Mr Michael Lyon) above the road at the little bridge, when the stones were gathered ready for bringing down to Bun a Corraig were they were goin’ to build the monastery the Cashel people and the Bun a Corraig people came to stop the monks from bringing the stones down. When the Corrán people heard it they went down with their horses and carts and asses to bring down the stones for the monks. ‘Twas a woman from Clocmór side (named Grace Gallagher) that got hold of the first stone and then a man named Patten a man named Nolan, she (Grace Gallagher) belonged to FR Gallagher’s people (note on Fr Gallagher later s. m.) when the people below, Cashel and Bun a Corraig people saw that the Corrán people meant business they went home and the monastery was built. The monastery was built a year or two after my uncle (Fr Michael Gallagher) came to Achill. Fr Gallagher came to Achill in 1847.
Most of the Bun a Corraig and Cashel people were “soupers”at that time and that’s why they didn’t want the monastery in Bun a Corraig. But the Corrán people, the most of them anyway were good Catholic’s and they went down to help the monks. The Bishop ordered them that for ever as long as the monastery would be there that a Corrán man would always have Céad Míle Fáilte in the monastery , and plenty to ate and a bed for the night if he wanted it. I don’t know is it so now, any how times are different now and people don’t be travelling long journey on foot like long ‘go.
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