Click on the moon to go back
It all started on Halloween night 1997. It was a dark and gloomy night. Patrick Joe came rushing in the door panting for breath and he told us this: "I was just sitting down to my dinner when the phone rang. It was Kathleen Brady (this was P.J.’s next door neighbour) She said that Colin Heraghty from Gurteendarragh was missing. Apparently he was walking home about 6 o’clock out the Dartry road and was spotted by Simon Foley. However he never reached home. We were all very shocked and worried about what we just heard. What could have happened to poor Colin? He was never found".
There was rumour upon rumour but the real truth is only after being revealed. I decided to find out what really happened to Colin Heraghty. The night in question, as we all know, was Hallowe'en night when all the spirits come out. I kept this very much in mind. I thought about it all the time but I remained as confused as ever. Then a few months later we were driving on the Dartry road. We encountered bend after bend and then, on the last one, was the missing piece to my puzzling jigsaw… The Old Graveyard.
I continued my investigations and I found out that Colin’s grandparents were buried in the Graveyard, and that often he went to visit them on his way home. I visited some of the older people in the locality that would have known his grandparents. Eventually I found out their names were Patrick and Kate Mc Gowan. Once I found out this information I rushed to the graveyard. I looked around and around the graveyard for these names but I didn’t discover the grave. Months came and went and I found nothing.
Then one day there was torrential rain and as a result we were kept in for break. The teacher told us to get a book from the library. I was seated at the back of the class and when it came time for me to get a book there was only a few left. These included “Nancy Drew” and the history of Kinlough by Thomas Feeley. I picked the latter one thinking I would learn something. This is what exactly happened!! I was browsing through the pages when I came across a article on the Old Graveyard. I suddenly became interested. I read on and on. Then I suddenly I found the missing link to my investigations. The line read:“Ever since Mr. McGowan from Glenade killed the Protestants who tried to take over the church the Catholics were building only Mc Gowans were buried inside the walls of the church”
This was news to me. I didn’t even know that anyone was buried inside the church. After school I rushed to the Old Graveyard and eventually found the entrance to the old church. There, staring in front of me, was the headstone which read: "In loving memory of Patrick and Kate Mc Gowan, Laughta, Kinlough who died on the 26th of February 1983. May they rest in peace." I looked around for any clues but found none. Once again I walked home disappointed.
Not long after I was altar serving in Kinlough. The woman who had died was called Mary Ellen McGowan and she was going to be buried in the Old Cemetery. At this stage Colin’s first anniversary was coming up. As we were walking away from the gate of Mary Ellen’s something caught my eye. It looked like a piece of cloth but somehow a face seemed to appear in it. Ah! I screamed it’s Colin. Colin spoke to me: “Yes Padraig you have found the missing link. Catch you later” (Colin was famous for being groovy!)
Father Keogan
came over to me and gave out to me (naturally). The other altar
boys thought I was going crazy and started to laugh. Father Keogan made
me apologise to the relatives of the deceased as I gladly did. I
decided to go back to the grave, this time with my camcorder. Once again
I saw the cloth and Colin. I pressed the big red button on my camcorder
and started recording him. This time he appeared to me with his grandparents.
He spoke to me again: "Hey man, am sorry I left you without an explanation".
"But why did you leave us?" I asked
He replied:
"I was walking home one night and I decided to go to my grandparents grave.
They appeared to me and asked me if I wanted to come away with them. I
agreed and stepped into the grave and I am here ever since". I stuttered
again "How? When? Why?" But it was too late. He had disappeared.
At least I had proof…my camcorder tape. I went home and played the tape. At last I had evidence. I showed it to my parents and they were amazed. "So you WERE telling the truth", they said in awe. We rushed to the Heraghtys and told them everything. They were very shocked and afraid. They had finally found an explanation as to what had happened to their son. They then changed his name from the family grave to his grandparents' grave where it still can be seen today!!
Well that’s what happened to Colin Heraghty on Halloween night 1997.