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However, as they say in Ireland, "it's an ill wind
that blows no good" and so after the driver left his cart to fetch help,
a certain notorious poacher and local celebrity, one Johnny Fox, who after
a few small measures of his favourite tipple (distilled by his fair hands
in a nearby wood) happened upon the unfortunate cart. Johnny was inspired
with a feindish plan!
He saw with his good eye that these barrels were not too different in size
to the broken wheel and could be fitted on the axle with relative ease. The
problem however, was that he would have to tilt the heavy cart in order to
do this. As he pondered the solution along came Father O'RMalley, the local
priest. "Father, would you join me in a small measure of stout before midnight
mass?". The bold Father was glad of the offer, for his fingers and
toes were numb from riding his donkey over the hills that night.
Johnny, pouring from the left side of the cart,
did the pair of them proud. As they drank more and more of the precious Liffey
water the right side of the cart lowered itself onto one of the empty barrels.
Johnny repaired the cart just in time to give the wide eyed Father O'Malley
a lift to the chapel for midnight mass.
What happened to the cart after that remains shrouded in mystery. Although the local Inn had little Guiness that Christmas it was said that no-one in the village of Balleymahooley went dry, as long as they visited Johnnys' humble abode. To this day a glass of the good stuff passes the lips of visitors to Johnnys' place at that time of year, although it's origins remain a mystery. Maybe the only ones that know are the little people themselves! One thing to be sure for everyone that joins in the Christmas Hooleys at Johnny Foxes this festive season is, as the Irish say, "you'll all have good craic".
