30/10/2025
Community Historian Brendan Matthews. Tales of old Samhain; the “Changeling Child of Greenanstown”. Photo, by Brendan Matthews, depicts the single Large Boulder known as the “Marrying Stone”, that may be seen 70 metres to the south of the three Jackstones at Greenanstown and around which many a folklore and ghostly tale was told in times past at this time of the year. The hills of Tír Rí and the Fourknocks ridge may be seen in the background to the south beyond the valley of Micknanstown where the Glassmerry Stream rises. The following is a variation of one such story which was recorded at Greenanstown back in the 1930`s and which is held today within the Manuscripts of the Schools Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. “Long ago there was a married couple residing at Greenanstown who had one child whom they called Art. It was constantly asking its mother for milk. On one occasion, during the period of Samhain (Halloween), while the parents were in the Fair of Drogheda, a neighbour who was asked to look after the child in their absence, called into the house. "Well Art" he says. What way are you today. "I'm only middling Bill" says the child. If I got more nourishment I would be stronger." "Now look here" says Bill, "I just called in to hear you giving a tune on the Pipes". Oh" he says “don't you know Bill I cannot play the pipes”. "Enough of that Art" says Bill "let us hear a tune”. "I will play a tune for you" says the child, "if you promise not to tell anyone on me."
"I won't tell upon you" says Bill and with that the child stands up in the cradle and takes out a splendid set of pipes and arranged these pipes in front of him before sitting down on a seat and commenced to play. The man declared afterwards such sweet music he had never heard before. The following day he told the parents what they had in the cradle (a Changeling), and what occurred. There was a muster of all neighbours in Greenanstown and a `Council of War` was held and various proposals were put forward to get rid of him, when one old, very respected and wise woman spoke up and says "leave the Changeling to me, I'll settle him; tomorrow is Dispensary Day and I'll let on I'm bringing him to the Dispensary”. The following day the old woman called at the house and inquired how was the child. "Oh, Granny" he says "If I got more nourishment I would be all right”. "Oh" she says, "A Grá-mo-Chroí”, I will bring you over to the Dispensary to see the Doctor. "Oh, won't you be careful crossing the plank over the Glasmerry River Granny" he says, "Oh never fear" says the old woman. "I will carry you across safely". With that, she got him on her back, wrapped in a shawl and started on her journey. There was none of the neighbours to be seen when she left the house, it being so arranged earlier. After some time, they reached the Glasmerry River. "Oh Granny I'm getting afraid” says the lad on her back. "Don't fear my Honey" she says and with that she reached the centre of the plank and with her left hand, loosened the shawl and gave a sudden jerk to her left shoulder and threw the Fairy Child into the river. "There is the medicine for you" says she and with that a most extraordinary thing occurred. The Changeling grasped one of the large pup O leaves sat down on it, took the pipes from under his cloak and floated off down the river playing the “Blackbird” and he was never seen again in Greenanstown”.
