In the oul’ days when the Johnston’s were at Roxboro’ that [Pulkowen, a rock in Umericam Bog, near Silverbridge] was one of their beheadin’ stones.
An’ the blud-stains are upon it till this very day, an’ it’s few people wud pass it at night because of the ghosts that still be there. Five pounds a head they wur paid for all that went to Armagh or Dublin.
An’ the head of many a dacent man went up instead of a tory, an’ Keenan wus worse than the Johnstons.
Local man Keenan of the Heads was right-hand man to the infamous John Johnston of The Fews, tory and priest hunter of the early eighteenth century, and is remembered for beheading many a dacent man for the reward money. There was a famous couplet of the time:
Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews
Save me from Johnston, King of The Fews.