"The Caolawd, a place on the farm - or adjoining it - of Mr. John Morrissey, Knockanes, Adare". I have it as I got it.

In the land now tenanted by [?] O'Leary Knockanes, stands the farm called by the above name. One time this farm was a wind tract of uncultivated treeless waste. A parish priest Fr. Falney built the house - a fairly pretentious one - now occupied by O'Leary. This was subsequent to his eviction from the (home of) Curraglass House by Mr Herbert when he was given the land at Ré na Croiche by Mr. Coltsman Cronin.This barren tract is some distance to the east of where Knockanes National School now stands From this height Cromwell's soldiers shelled Killaha Castle and in the centre of a a dreary looking spot a gallows was set up. There is no certainty of how many were put to death or were any but the gallows I'm informed were intended to strike terror into the districtThe house from which Fr. Falney was evicted was given to a family of "Gleesons". It is said they ill-treated a servant-boy who died from its effects. The boy's mother cursed the family and the name died out in the holding.

There were bricks made in the Gaorthadh at Knockanes long ago. These bricks were made out of the clay in the land. The clay was first wet, and then put into a mould to shape it into a brick. It was then taken out of the mould and left on the ground to dry. When the bricks were dry they were burned in the kiln. The bricks were then drawn to Killarney by all the farmers around the district. It was with these bricks the Mental Hospital was built. Some of the bricks can be got in the Gaorthadh yet. The kiln can also be seen.

Lurriga parish in the direction of Limerick. The village of Patrickswell is in Lurriga parish.The following are the names of the townlands in Lurriga parish.Clounanna, Lisaleen, Clounaduff, Kilcoleman, Breska, Faha, Ballyanrahan, Lurriga, Attyflinn, Ballygeale, Patrickswell, Fort Etna, Ferry Bridge, Kiltemplan, Ballycurrane, Newbora, Kilgobben, Breska Mor, Breska Beag, Ballycarney, Knockanes, Springfort, ballyvologue, Fort Union Kilgobben, Fort ann Clarina, Blaockalacha, Rivermount.

About twenty years ago an Epidemic called the flu spread all over the world. The cause was supposed to be the after effects of the European war because they did not bury their dead. It was a worse type of flu in other countries than in Ireland. In America the people who got it died, and their bodies turned black. It was known as the "black flu". Here in Ireland many people died. There lived in Gullane, Gneevguilla a man name Patrick O'Leary. He was so strong that he never tackled the ass to the car to bring a barrel of water. He pushed the car and barrel of water with his two hands. He got the flu and lived only one day. A young little girl named Bridget O'Leary who lived in Mausrour, Gneeveguilla got the flu and lived only a few hours with it. Mary O'Sullivan, Tournanough, Gneeveguilla died also. Mr and Mrs Williams of Knockanes, Headford were at a wedding and they danced all night, and got the flu, and died a few hours after.
All dances were forbidden for a few months. There were no wakes held and only very near friends went to the funerals.

Killaha castle beneath which nestles the churchyard of the same name occupies a commanding position on a high mound, access to same being through a well kept avenue and beside which is the presbytery now an up-to-date one - but once the home of the "Wheatley" planters. Residents in the neighbourhood claim the castle was built by Mc. Carthy Mór but afterwards occupied by the O'Donoghues. It was dismantled by Cromwellian soldiers in 1652. They shelled it from "Knockanes Height."There is a story of a cruel hanging of a widow's only son in this old castle. This boy was a constant trespassser on the grounds and he collected firewood from the wooded lands around. He was caught in the act one day by a servant of the castle and was sentenced to be hanged at three oclock the following day. The poor widow sent a priest to plead for the boy's pardon but when he reached the castle the boy was already dead. It is believed that the execution took place before the appointed time so as to forestall the priest. In a rage with disappointment the priest galloped his horse

During the Summer the water used be very shallow at the lower end of the pool, and cattle used to cross it from Bun a'Chumar to Knockchanes and vice versa.
To prevent them from trespassing thorny (barbed) wire was drawn zigzag across the river. Maurice never thought of that and actually swam under the wire which caught his coat in the back. He struggled free leaving the lower half of his coat stuck on the wire. The police saw him in difficulties and rushed to the spot. They secured the piece of torn coat but Maurice had reached the Knockanes side and fled in the darkness. He recrossed the river and reached his own house assisted by the light of the "toarch" which the constable still held. The mountain is behind his house and geese were kept in a little house under a rock. He travelled a distance up a mountain path whence he hid his clothes and returned naked to his house. When passing the house where the geese were he saw that the light of the "toarch" had gone out so he

Some Facts Connected with the Village of Adare.About two hundred years ago and later, fairs were held regularly in Adare. The old fair green was situated on the site now occupied by the entrance gates and part of the demesne of the Earl of Dunraven, opposite the present Dunraven Arms Hotel. The old road to Limerick lead by the fair green about a half a mile to the right of the present road, over the bridge by the Manor house past the Franciscan Abbey, and on by Knockanes, and on to the present Limerick road, running by the

Sean O'Toomey "An gline", used often have McGrath, a brother poet, in his house. McGrath was a queer fellow, and he was making up with O'Toomey's wife. O'Toomey got jealous and McGrath was forbidden to come into the house. That was the cause of the row between the two poets. Old Fitzgerald of Knockanes told me that. He was captain of the Whiteboys in his time, and all his people were very intelligent. He never lived in Croom (that in reply to a question from me), but his people were great historians (This word, historians, is not to be taken in its strictly literal sense, but rather in the sense of raconteurs, whether of historical

ever knew where he came from or where he went for never saw him before or afterwards. These old people all believed that he was one of the "good people" who had come back doing penance for some sin he had comitted and whenever they spoke of him they always said. "May he rest in peace."
Eileen Sullivan
Miss May Sullivan
Knockanes
N.S.
Age 30

Páirc na gCupóg
There is a field in my neighbours farm in Knockanes
It is called páirc na gCupóg There is a fort in it Once upon a time the owner of this field had a garden in an other field near it.
The garden was covered with cupógs He picked the cupógs out of the garden and drew them with his car and threw them into the fort.
The following day when he looked at the fort the cupógs were gone and a big white round stone replaced them. All the cupóg grew around the field It is ever since called páirc na cupóg No matter how he tried to clear them out of it more plentiful they got He never since interfered

The O'Learys of Rac na Croiche and Cnoc an Imiris and Cnoc an Eiribaill are all the same family. They originally came from County Cork. Denis O'Leary of Knockanes used to say that they came this way from Carraigacurra teh time of Cromwell.It was from this spot where the school now stands that the cannon ball was fired in 1649 by Cromwell when Itilaha (?) Castle fell.The O'Donoghues lived in a house built at the back of the Castle until about 1695 or so. Some of them went to Limerick and fought with Sarsfield.The O'Learys fought on the side of the Irish Catholics from 1641 to 1649 or 1652 and they say that over 60 of our family forfeited their lands and then when the Act of Settlement came - the act that Geoffrey O'Donoghue wrote about"Is barra ar an gcleas an react do theacht tar tuinn" -

up-to-date- one - but once the home of the "Wheatle planters. Residents in the neighbourhood claim the castle was built by McCaitlier Mór but afterwards occupied by the O'Donaghue. It was dismantled by Cromwellian soldiers in 1652 They shelled it from "Knockanes Height"There is a story of a cruel hanging of a widow's only son in this old castle. This boy was a constant trespasser on the grounds and he collected firewood from the wooded lands around He was caught in the act one day by a servant of the castle and was sentenced to be hanged at three o'clock the following day. The poor widow sent a priest to plead for the boy's pardon but when he reached the castle the boy was already dead. It is believed that the execution took place before the appointed hour so as to forestall the priest. In a rage with disappointment the priest galloped his horse through river brake and fence and both rider and animal were killed. The print of the horse's hoof is to be seen on a stone in the bed of the Flesk river.The unfortunate afflicted mother cursed the family for seven generations.

Miscellaneous.Islandea, Adare, I must apologise for its crudity and repulsive coarseness. I include it as being practically the one and only item of tradition which I have been able to glean, relative to Sean O'Tuama, and a further excuse for its inclusion must be its indication in tabloid form of the man and the times it refers to. Anything that is known of O'Tuama hereabouts is due to the influence of the late Fr. Tadg Lee, died 1907, and not to a persistent tradition. I cannot account for the complete negation, not to say want of tradition concerning O'Tuama and MacCraig in this parish, by any other means than by stating that there is not in the parish today a solitary family descended in the male line, whose progenitors lived here 120 years ago. There is of course the ex captain, Lyons of Croom House, but apparently the preservation of a continuity of Gaelic culture and outlook was not at any time a very robust feature of that family and the collector of crumbs from the past of Croom, would be very ill-advised, to seek them under that table, though undoubtedly, some luscious ones would be found there. However, Mr. MacNamara (65bl.) informs me that the story was told in his fathers house by James Fitzgerald of Knockanes, Adare, more than 50 years ago. Here it is almost verbatim, indeed entirely so, except where my memory failed at the unimportant points: O'Toomey the poet, they called him Sean O'Toomey on gline (i.e. an grinn, notice

Rae na CroicheBhí croc annso fadó. Sin é an fáth go bhfuibh Rae na Croiche mar ainm ar an áit. Deirtear leis gurab ‘in é an fáth go mbíonn paiste glas féarach shíos sa mhanntán mar b’sin é an spota in a raibh an chroch. Bíodh an fhuil ag sileadh as an gchroic anuas ar an áit i gcomhnuidhe agus sin é an fáth go bhfuil difríocoht idir an spota beag sin agus an cuid eile d’en manntán.
Dominic Ó Spealáin
Age 45 M.b.Uí Spealáin
Knockanes
Headfort
Killarney

JOHN MICKY RIORDAN still lives at Knockanes in the parish of Glenflesk. He was very fond of horses and still is and would talk about them from morning till night. Once when he was a young man he "made up" a horse for Kanturk Horse Fair. As soon as he left his own home the horse being "mad for the road" started to trot and John Micky ran along "beside him" and they never stopped till they reached Kanturk nearly thirty miles away.
DAN KELLY of Carrigavana in the parish of Glenflesk used to take a half a sack of flour on his back from Headfort to his own home across the mountain from Draumcarbin. The mountain is about a thousand feet high.
TIM COOPER of Draum used take a plough on his shoulder from Liosnagrave to Draum.
JERH CONNELL (JERRY GEOFFRY) READMINAGH brought a sack of meal in his arms from Maggie Free's (Daly) yard to the road. He took it by Na Cluasanna and pitched it against the hill over a horse rail into his own car.
The Murphy and Sullivan Elections were on,

Adare branch of the Rockites or Whiteboys in or about the year 1838James Fitzgerald, Knockanes, Adare.
Thomas Normoyle, Rour, Adare.
Patrick Coll, Tuogh, Adare.
John Coll, Tuogh, Adare.
James Madigan, Kilbreedy, Kilcornan.James Madigan was a much wanted man in those days and kept the police very busy. He slept but very seldom in his own home as he had a bed made in a very big tree in Curragh Chase wood. One night as he slept in his own home he was surrounded by police and called upon to open the door in her majesty's name. Madigan made a spring out the door and threw the policeman into a pit of manure that was in the yard and