This is a romantic tale of two young lovers, Mary and Turlough.
Mary lived in Quin whilst Turlough lived just outside the village in Ardsollus. Their fathers were enemies and forbade them to marry, or in fact, even to meet each other. But as may be guessed, they continued to meet.
Unknown to Mary, her father proposed to give her away in marriage to a “wealthy knave” of low repute. When her father told Mary (after the date for the wedding was fixed), she refused to agree. She had little or no say in the matter and was locked-up and surrounded by spies.
On the night of the marriage, which was to be held at Quin, Mary and the “wealthy knave” were brought before the alter. Just before the ceremony began, Mary, whose hair was “like mist on a mountain of snow” and “whose eyes were as clear as a holy well”, died of a haemorrhage, said to have been caused by a broken heart. The groom fled. Turlough never found out about her death and was under the impression that she was unhappily married.
Turlough used to wander around the places that they liked to go together, half expecting to meet her. One night as he was walking alone, he met Mary’s spirit, and he, believing it to be Mary in the flesh, was overjoyed. Mary persuaded him to meet her the next night at Quin Abbey to get married as she explained that she had not married the other man at Quin.
The following night, Turlough went to Quin Abbey unknown to anybody else. When he arrived, a strange sight met his eyes. The roofless abbey was re-roofed and, according to the “Bard of Thomond”, Michael Hogan, the scene was as follows:
“A rich robed priest at the alter prayed.
And his calm, dark, solemn eyes ranged,
O’er an open missal before him laid-
The alter was dressed in its holiest style
Twelve tall white candles were burning there;
And a congregation knelt around the aisle,
With clasped hands raised and heads lowed in prayer.”
The priest and the congregation were of course, unknown to Turlough, the spirits of the dead in Quin. The ceremony was conducted and the couple were married. Turlough, though still unaware of the truth, was frightened.
When the ceremony was completed, all except Mary and Turlough disappeared. As soon as Turlough touched her a chill ran through him and he died. He was therefore re-united with Mary and thus ends the legend of Turlough and Mary.
-Taken from ‘A History of Quin & Tradaree’ by Anthony Foley and Gerard Murphy