This article compares the 'story' of Father Sheehy in seanchas/folklore on one hand and in 'history' on the other. It discusses the usual arguments put forward on each side of this academic divide. The characteristics of each approach are discussed and some tentative conclusions reached on the nature of folklore and the potential values it has for communities and people. The article also deals with Father Sheehy as a healer and blends complex circumstances into an overall view of the famous priest from County Tipperary.