FOLKLORE: Lord Tottenham and the Devil
Year: 1936
Collector: Tomás Ó Ciardha
Location: Wexford
One day Lord Tottenham brought out his horse and went riding after the hunt. At the meet he happened on a very nice gentleman and their two stayed riding together all day. In the evening when the huntsmen were about to depart Lord Tottenham invited this gentleman to come home with him and stay for a week.
They used to play cards every night. This night they were playing and the gentleman was winning every game. Anyway a card dropped; and when they stooped to pick it up what was under the table but the devil.
They sent for the priest in the minute. Fr. Broaders was the priest's name. He came, and kicked the devil out through the roof of the house. And where he went out he made a hole in the roof.
Lord Tottenham sent for a carpenter to come and put on the slates on the roof for him. He came and put on the slates. But they weren't long on when they fell off again. They sent for him again and he came and put them on a second time; but they fell off again. They sent for him the third time; and this time when the carpenter put on the slates he shook holy water on them, and they didn't come off anymore after that.
Credit to the Dúchas project at the National Folklore Collection, University College Dublin.
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https://www.duchas.ie/en/info/res