Is the headless horseman on the roads again?

Hello boys and girls, Iâ€â„¢M all over the place this week. Iâ€â„¢d lose my head if it werenâ€â„¢t screwed on. Molly says itâ€â„¢s screwed on backwards and thatâ€â„¢s why Iâ€â„¢m always in trouble. Speaking of losing my head, Iâ€â„¢m a bit wary of going out at night these days (can you say that?) because Iâ€â„¢m afraid I might meet up with Black Jack Kelly the headless horseman whose ghost rides the roads at night. No, not the horse â€â€ the horse has a head. Itâ€â„¢s Black Jack who lost his. Heâ€â„¢s supposed to be on the go again. Black Jack was a very mean highwayman who robbed people on their way to and from Tuam many years ago. Heâ€â„¢d hold up the coaches and demand all the passengersâ€â„¢ money and jewels at pistol and sword point. Helping him were the Oâ€â„¢Flaherty boys, three of the meanest pirates who ever sailed the coast of Connemara. He was called Black Jack because it was said his heart was as black as the grave. He didnâ€â„¢t care who he robbed or hurt. Sometimes he would kidnap little children and their parents had to pay up or he would sell them to the Ogres in the woods where they would have to serve as their slaves. He was not a nice man. It gives me the shivers just to think of him. Then one day about 200 years ago, he stopped a carriage carrying the family of a sea captain. They were on their way to Galway to meet their father who had been away for a long time at sea. Black Jack sent word to the harbour that the captain could only have his wife and children back if he paid their weight in gold. That was a lot of gold but the captain loved his family and agreed. He sent word that the huge sack of gold would be left at Anbally for Black Jack to collect. When he arrived with the Oâ€â„¢Flaherty brothers, they got really excited when they saw the big sack left by the road. â€Å“Weâ€â„¢re rich, weâ€â„¢re rich,â€Â they sang by the side of the highway. They rushed to open it but before they could do so Captain Woodstock jumped out and sliced Black Jackâ€â„¢s head clean off with his sword. The Oâ€â„¢Flahertys were terrified and told him straight away where his family was being held captive at their hideout near the old castle at Knockma Hill. Well, they were all delighted to be back together again. The Oâ€â„¢Flaherty brothers were put in prison and the road to Tuam was safe once again. Safe during the day, that is. Soon after that, local people reported hearing a mysterious horse galloping along the road in the dark of night. People began coming across a headless horseman and were terrified by this terrible sight. Black Jack was ugly when alive, but dead without his head, he looked even worse. Still, to this day, people say he rides the roads looking for his lost head. He can never rest until he finds it. Thatâ€â„¢s all very well but I wish heâ€â„¢d find it and go away. I want to be able to go out at night without meeting him, head or no head. Aunt Molly says itâ€â„¢s only an old story told by old men in the pub, but Iâ€â„¢m not convinced. Iâ€â„¢ve often heard strange sounds on the road at night and one of these nights Iâ€â„¢m afraid Iâ€â„¢ll meet him face to face. Mind you, I donâ€â„¢t know how you meet someone who has no head face to face but I certainly donâ€â„¢t want to find out. Do you? Bye for now Uncle Jasper