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The Schools’ Collection

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. More information

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  1. Hidden Treasure

    CBÉS 0264

    Page 041

    In a corner of the old castle of Athleague there was gold to be found and there was a stone covering it. Two natives of Athleague tried to lift the stone. They had drink taken and they began to quarrel. The stone fell back and was never risen. It is there at the present day. At the back of the fair green there was money hidden. A man belonging to Athleague village but was working in (Athleague) Moate dreamt of the wealth for three nights. This man came to Athleague and told two

  2. My Home District

    CBÉS 0267

    Page 296

    Coill a uainne got its name from the green wood. There are two people over seventy years who cannot speak Irish , but can relate English stories, namely Thomas, and Kate Gately. Houses were more plentiful long ago.
    The man's name is Thomas Gately, Cullawinna, Athleague, Roscommon. The woman's name is:- Kate Gately, Cullawinna, Athleague, Roscommon.

  3. Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0267

    Page 434

    The local fairs are held in Four Roads, Roscommon, Athleague, Ballygar, Ballyforan, and Mount-Talbot. The fairs are held in the streets of Ballyforan and Ballygar. There are fair greens in Roscommon and Athleague. Toll sometimes is paid. They have to pay a penny for a sheep and two pence for cattle coming out from the fair. The fairs are not held on hills or near castles or forts.
    Annie Lawlor,
    Tibarney,
    Athleague,
    Roscommon

  4. Folklore - Saint Patrick

    CBÉS 0015

    Page 213

    When Saint Patrick was converting the people of Ireland to the true faith he visited Fuerty, Athleague and Oran, and established a church in each of those places.
    The spot where he built in Athleague parish is about a half mile south of the present village of Athleague. The place is called Gluan Patrick.
    The name is derived from a stone on which Saint Patrick is stated to have left the impression of knee. There is a holy well there at which stations are performed on the last Sunday of July.
    In recent times the late Very Reverend Canon Conry P.P. erected a beautiful statue of Saint Patrick.
    There are traces of the site of an ancient church a short distance from the holy well.
    The spot where Saint Patrick established his church in Fuerty was

  5. The Hare of Coolmeen

    CBÉS 0046

    Page 0436

    and of a rather whitish colour.
    Some weeks ago young Mr. Collins of Coolmeen, Fuerty saw her. Next day his out officers were burned to the ground. People going to town(Roscommon) and see her immediately return home. A worker of the Co. Council refused to demolish an old house that Mr. Collins sold them for road material because the house in question was one of the haunts of the hare. Mr. Willie White would not even back a horse for months if he happened to see her!!!
    Tom(Sack) Keane of Roundfort Athleague holds that this hare travels from Lisnagerragh vial Correal to Fuerty. Larry Boyle Athleague was annoyed with

  6. (no title)

    “One of the real chieftains of Uí Máine became a priest and went to France with James II.”

    CBÉS 0084

    Page 039

    who lives near Athleague.
    There is a place below Aughrane called Abbeygrey and there is a monastery there now, the people are taking away the stones now of it. The village around it is called Abbeygrey now.
    It is said that the monks who lived there were hunted out of Athleague and they went to hide in the woods there by Riobard na Gliorca (?) They used to go around the country getting food from the people.

  7. Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0262

    Page 035

    Local Fairs
    The local fairs are generally held in Creggs, Athleague, Ballymoe, Castlerea, Roscommon, Fuerty, Dunmore Ballygar, Ballinsloe. There is a fair green in Creggs. Some times the cows that are brought are put in to the green. The fair green belongs to Michael Kilby. Mr Kilby does not charge anything for the green. There is a fair green in Athleague. It is owned by Mr Killian. The horses are put in to the green for safety. I think Mr Killian charges 2d or 3d for the use of the green with a horse. And the sheep are held on the street in pins. The sheep

  8. Story - Red Stockings

    CBÉS 0267

    Page 149

    before they went. Red Stockings got out in the middle of the night & started whaling the bag with a hatchet. When he had it well whaled he looked to see was the man dead & it was a bag of straw that was in it instead of the man & he was gone. He got his leggings & put them on & he landed in the hollow of the hill of Cam (near Curraghboy) and that's why the hollow is there ever since.
    The Fair Lady of the Lake fired down rings at him & the rings piled up in heaps so high
    that they could not climb it & they got the sledge & started knocking them down. When he got out Red Stockings took another step & landed below in Athleague. That's why the hollow is below in Athleague ever since. The Lady of the Lake fired down the Golden Egg & the eggs piled up so high the Red Stockings & his wife (who was with him) were not able to get up over them. And they went down threw the eggs & weren't

  9. Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0267

    Page 433

    The local fairs are held in Roscommon, Athleague, Ballygar, Mount Talbot, Brideswell, Ballyforan, and Four-Roads. The fairs are held in the town of Roscommon and Ballygar. Buyers often come to the farmers houses to buy the stock.
    The fairs are held in the streets of Roscommon, Ballygar, Mount-Talbot, Brideswell, Ballyforan, and Four-Roads. There are fair greens in Ballyforan and Athleague. there is luck money always given. It is called luck money. When a bargain has been made the parties strike their hands and some people spit on their hands. When the animals are sold the owners will put marks with red or blue raddle. Some people mark them with mud, others clip them.

  10. Folklore - Robert Orombsy

    CBÉS 0015

    Page 003

    Robert Orombsy lived in Tobberavaddy between Creggs and Athleague. He was a cruel tyrant and was known to the people of his time as Riobárd na Gligernach because of the rattling armour he used to wear.
    He was a great persecutor of Catholics and had severals put to death for the faith. In order to save himself from being murdered he built a tunnel from his castle to the castle of Athleague and used to travel underground between those two places.
    One morning after having put to death the only son of a widow he set out on horse-back for Dublin, and as his horse lost a shoe on the way he was obliged to visit a forge.
    In course of conversation with the smith he said he often heard a black-smith's curse was bad and on this account the smith would have to curse him under pain of death. The frightened smith

  11. The Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0044

    Page 0064

    times every year. It is held in Ballinasloe and Athleague. The pig fair is held nearly every month in the villages.

  12. Local Musicians

    CBÉS 0046

    Page 0370

    Local Musicians.
    Patsy Mannion, Ballygar was a noted bag-piper.
    He used to play at dances at Rookwood crossroads. About fifty years ago. Each dancer paid him a penny or half penny. The crossroad dances took place in Summer and Autumn The dances were reels, jigs, hornpipes and polkas. Patsy Mannion ended his life by committing suicide in Mountbellew workhouse.
    Biddy H??re like Patsy Mannion had her own district She lived in Athleague near the present school and died fifty-five years ago at sixty years of age. She was a native of Athleague and was blind from birth. She played about four tunes on the fiddle and even though blind was able to find her way barefoot from place to

  13. Denis Kelly

    CBÉS 0046

    Page 0413

    when Dr. John O'Donovan was recording the ancient history of Ireland in 1839 he gave him great assistance. Towards the close of his life he was obliged to sell his estate to Charles Neville Bagot and he died at Araghty House, Athleague in much poorer circumstances than he had lived A round tower about 60 ft. high with a Gaelic inscription on the side of it marks the place where he is buried with his three wives in Killeroran cemetary.

  14. My Home District

    CBÉS 0046

    Page 0429

    My townland is Curranaughla my Parish is Athleague and I am in the Barony of Killyne. My village is situated north of Aughrane bog. There are thirteen houses and a population of about sixty-five people in it. Out of he thirteen houses only two are slated, eleven thatched and one galvanised. This village is three and a half miles from Ballygar town and about five hundred yards from Aughrane bog and this bog is situated on the southern side of the village

  15. The Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0046

    Page 0439

    There are four local fairs. In Ballygar there is a fair twice a month. In Athleague the two principle fairs of the years are in July and September.
    Buyers still come to transact business in the farmer's house. Fairs are not always held in towns. There is a fair held in Fuerty which is not a town.
    The chief part of the fair is held in the fair green. In Athleague there is a place called the Custom Gap.
    On fair day's a man stands here with a book and pencil. He charges fourpence custom on all animals bought in the green. Three-pence and four-pence is paid

  16. Hidden Treasure

    CBÉS 0264

    Page 043

    It is believed that there is gold hidden in Glananammor Athleague Co Roscommon. It is supposed to be hidden in Leabaidh Oirmhuin's grave who was a giant. The grave is built with huge rocks The giants money is it said was put down along with him. No attempt has been made to unearth it. The fairies are said to be guarding it.

  17. The Penal Times

    CBÉS 0265

    Page 148

    Sean nac Sagapr of Athleague used to kill priests and for every priest's head he got five pounds and it was "Rebur Neglar" that gave him fivepounds and he was also a Protestant soldier. I heard this from Patrick Kelly Culleen, Lecarrow, Co Roscommon.

  18. Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0267

    Page 432

    There are fairs held in Ballygar, Ballyforan, Athleague, Four Roads and Mount Talbot. Four Roads and Mount Talbot are held in villages. Buyer often come to the houses to buy stock.
    I never heard of fairs held on hills or near cemeteries or castles. Fairs are held in the fair green, others in the market square and some are held in the streets.
    Toll is paid on sheep and cattle coming out of Athleague fair. Three pence is paid on each calf and one penny on each sheep.
    When the animal is sold luck money is given. Some animals are marked with raddle, others by cutting a bit of hair off the side of the animal.

  19. Saint Patrick

    CBÉS 0749

    Page 226

    St Patrick crossed the Shannon at (?) the Ford on his way from Athleague to Tara. He is supposed to have worked miracles at the " Togher " or Ford. At Annagh Mills (?) there is a well dedicated to the Saint. It is said that the Pagans at Mt (?) Temple ill-treated the Saint and that he fled in the direction of Annagh.

  20. Folklore

    CBÉS 0084

    Page 026

    I got this story from my Granny Mrs. Kelly, Cloonruff, Ballygar, Co. Galway.
    Riobard na Gliogarnach lived in Toberavady near Athleague. He was a Protestant and a very cruel man.
    A widow and her three sons lived somewhere around Athleague. Two of her sons were working outside the town and Riobard used to see those boys going to work. So one day he ordered the boys to be brought in to him.
    When they went in he asked them what religion they belonged to and they said the catholic. So he said if they did not give up their religion he would hang them, but they would not, so he got them hanged.
    Then the widow had one boy 13 years and Riobard also sent for him and asked him and tried to force him to give up his religion and the little boy would not, and his mother came and asked the man to leave her that boy.
    He said then that he would