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| AN ATHLONE STREET, ROSCOMMON. -There are still extant in Athlone many houses that witnessed the memorable sieges and battles of 1690-91. The sketch shows one of the ancient streets of that renowned burgh, which may be described as standing astride the Shannon, partly in Roscommon and partly in Westmeath. In one of the olden houses, the famous Baron de Ginkel, commander-in-chief of King William's army, lodged after the capture of the town. The celebrated old bridge, which once connected the English and Irish towns, and which the Irish so gallantly defended, in 1691, has given place to a new structure within this century. The old bridge was the subject of many legends, some of which deserve to be classed among "foot-falls on the boundary of another world." One story, authenticated, of course, runs as follows: A gentleman, residing in the west part of Ireland, dreamt one night that if he went to Athlone and walked upon its bridge for a few hours, he would "make his fortune." He dreamt the same thing three times in succession. Finally he told his wife, and she urged him to go. As he was "walking the bridge" a man asked him why he was doing it. The gentleman told him of the dream. "Oh, that's nothing," said the stranger. "I dreamt three times that if I went to a certain man's garden in the west (naming the gentleman's own property) I'd find a crock of gold under the oldest apple tree in the orchard." The westerner went home immediately, dug for the "crock of gold," and found it. This established his fortune, indeed, and his descendants, it is said, still enjoy the inheritance. |
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