Caiptín Ó Máille (1941)

I seen the Caiptín Ó Máille indeed and I remember the day as I do today, I was 14 or 15 years at the time. He was going on crutches when I seen him but he was a fine tall man. I seen him comin’up the Kildownet road (a village east of Achill Island) from lower Achill and he was on his way to Clare Island. He stopped for the night in the public house that was that time in Kildownet behind at the chapel, we all went in to see him because we heard so much about him before he was tellin’ stories about his life but I don’t remember any of the stories now. The house was full because all the village went in to see him. There is a new house now at the chapel (north side) and the public house was where the stable is now between the new house and the chapel. He was related to the O’Malleys of Clare Island and lower Achill. I never heard that he was married or that he had a family, maybe he was married he used to put out cargoes at Corrán. He had a whisker but indeed he seemed to be a fine man when he was young. The last cargo he brought was sunk at Poll na Ráite near Newport. They sunk her (the ship) themsel’ when they saw the revenue comin’and no escape. The name of the ship was “The Sloopeen Vaughan” and there was a song made about her,I knew it once but I’m afraid I won’t be able to say it now.