The townland that I live in is Lisardboula in the parish of Ballyseedy in the Barony of Truaghachemy. There are about six families living in Lisardboula. There are 29 people living in it. Some of the houses are thatched and some corrugated iron and a lot of them slated. There is a bridge also in my district and where I live is called Farmers' Bridge because a long time ago there were a great many Farmers living there.
The townland got its name because there was a fort of the Booley's there a very long time ago. There is a ruin of a old house in Ballyseedy it was belonging to Thomas O'Neill's grandfather. Thomas O'Neill is living in Farmers' Bridge.
There was a song about the Parish of Ballyseedy the name of it was Ballyseedy's Pride it was composed by an old grandfather named James Whiston. He sang it at Mr. Blennerhassettes when Major Blennerhassett became of age to take up the estate. Ballyseedy was called "Baile an tSíoda" the town of the silk because of the beautiful silk clothes the visitors used to wear when they used to visit the castle.
There is some of the land in this district good and more boggy and hilly. There was lovely larch wood growing in poulwadra mountain but it is all cut away now. There is another big wood in Ballyseedy belonging to Major Blennerhassett it is about two or three miles in length and about 100 acres of wood

Practically all the farms situated between Ballyseedy and Maglass, there are many stories told about them. It is said that a poet in the second generation made rhymes partly in Irish and in English. If he were treated well he would make poetry's praising the people. Very often this praise was ill deserved. He had an abusive tongue and he could use (any) very insulting words if he choose. He was often satirical. He made a poetry about the Ballyseedy ladies. He compared them to the gods and godessess of Pagan Rome. He also compared

One of the principal land lords of our district is "Blennerhasset". They posses all the land of Ballyseedy. These people own this land over two hundred years.
It is said that he only was in possession of the land for a few years when he evicted many people from their land. Once his bailiff and stewards went to evict some particular person but when they came to the house they could not go in. The neighbours of the person who was going to be evicted gathered into the house and prevented the bailiff and stewards from entering with pikes. As there were but few people in the house they were defeated and had to leave the house. The householders were evicted.
This was the way these people got their land. When Cromwell was crossing Sliabh Mish he saw Ballyseedy to the

Some years ago on May Sunday a big crowd used to assemble at Ballyseedy Cross. The small shop-keepers from Tralee used to set up tents, and sell sweets, cakes, apples, etc. The bands from Tralee used to come out. The young boys and girls used to have a dance. "Three Card Trick" men did a lively trade on that day, and games of pitch and toss etc. were played. The "hubby-horse" was brought to it. It usually dashed into the middle of a crowd and snapped hats, caps, etc. each owner had to pay a shilling to get back his or her property.
Boys and girls formed a procession and marched to Ballyseedy with the band at their head, and as they proceeded through he town the procession increased.

his demense for the "Patron" day, the people were taken away still further from the road & well. The road at "Tobar Rí an Domhnaig" is only ordinary width & is not suitable for a great concourse of people. Hence presumably the reason why in the first instance the crowd moved to "Cathair Brioghach" cross & forgot the well. (cross & well are about only a hundred yards apart).
In "Kings Kerry" (P. 126) we read that about 1860 the Tralee people used visit the "Patron" at Ballyseedy - mentioning also "Tobar na Molt" (Ardfert) & "Baile na gCrach" (Lixnaw) both of which have holy wells. By "Ballyseedy" he means "Cathair Brioghach" Cross, which is also always so miscalled. No one ever now associates the May day assembly with the Well, called "Tobairín". Hence the value of "Kings" History, evidence corroborating my theory. Joyce says the wells called "Tobar rí an Domhnaig" were so named because they were visited on a Sunday. I suspect

Arthur Blenner Hasset, who lived at Ballyseedy owned many of the districts round. Arthur's ancestors came there about the 16th century. They got the land from Queen Elizabeth; some people say they were soldiers of Cromwell and so got the land. He is the only landlord here still alive. He sold his estate but he still resides in his old home in Ballyseedy and is about 84 years now. It is said, locally, that his ancestors harboured a priest and that is the reason he is there still. Samuel Murray Hussey was the landlord's agent and when he got wealthy he bought some of the land from Blenner Hasset. Samuel Hussey was a Protestant but his people were Catholics. He lived one time near Dingle. It is said that his grandfather laid the foundation stone of the Catholic Church in Dingle. He lived at Edenburn. He was far more cruel than the landlord. He died in 1913 in Aghadoe house and was buried in Dingle. The landlord used divide the land into farms

There are a few monuments in this district one in Annagh, one in Ballyseedy and one in Farmersbridge, and those monuments are put over men that were shot during the troubled times in 1922 - 1923.

This song "The Palatine's Daughter" is supposed to have been written by a native of this district. His name was James Whitstone of Liosardboola. His descendants are still living there.
It is said he was a poet but there is not any trace of any other poem that he made.
Palatines resided here and still live here. There is a place called Currans which is five miles east of Ballyseedy Cross. There is a hiring Fair in Tralee every Sunday and boys are hired by farmers there. This boy was hired by a farmer in Currans and he had to pass Ballyseedy Cross to get there.
Whitston got land and a house from the landlord for making this song. His descendats reside in that house to this day.

There is a strange story about a deep hollow in Ballyseedy called the "Devils Hollow". Many years ago there was a card school in Tralee. A young man who used to play the cards lost all his money. One night as he was going home he met a stranger. The stranger said to the man you have lost all your money to night, would you like to win it back. The man said that he would. The man it

Finally her right foot went down, and she disappeared. The well then sprang up. She never came again to wash. The water of the well can be taken in fever (cure). A further detail from John O'Donoghue (b. 1870) who heard it from Tom Moriarty (1825-1925 "One man followed her. His name was Pickett. She cursed him thus: "May his name be ever scarce and may he not have four of his name to shoulder his coffin."
(2) Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh (at Ballyseedy)
Almost opposite Mrs Devane's house - at the right bank of the Leha (Lee) - just outside the Ballyseedy Demesne, ina a bit of commonage on the south side of the Tralee -Killarney road in the townland of Caherbreagh (Cathair Bhríoghach) is a remarkable well. Tom Connor of Scairt (b. 1851) says it was called "Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh". No one else corroborates. It is a small and beautiful clear well. Tom got the name 1865 from Tom Aherne of Scairt then 90 years old. Pat Brosnan of Coill Bheag (born 1856) says the well is called "Tobar Trí Treallach" (Terence ? traveller pilgrim ?) as three men stayed watching there over

When Blennerhassett opened the demesne for the Patron Day - the people were taken away still further from the well. The road at Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh is only ordinary width and is not suitable for a great concourse of people. Hence presumably the reason why in the 1st instance the crowd moved to Cathair Bhríoghach cross and forgot the well. (Cross and well are only about 100 yards apart)In King's Kerry (p. 126) we read that about 1860 the Tralee people used visit the "Patron" at Ballyseedy mentioning also Tobar na Molt (Ardfert) and Baile na Gerach (Lixnaw) both of which have holy wells. By Ballyseedy he means Cathair Bhríoghach cross - which is always so miscalled. No one ever now associates the May Day assembly with the well called "Tobairín". Hence value of King's evidence corroborating my theory.Joyce says the wells called "Tobar RÍ an Domhnaigh" were so called because they were visited on a Sunday. I suspect this strange title is rather a pun on some old pagan name such as "Tobar Rí an Domhain."Locally this well is called "Tobairín." Probably the Domhnaigh was dropped.

the crowd moved to Cathair Bhrioghadh cross, and forgot the well (cross and well are about only 100 yards apart).
In "King's Kerry" (p.126) we read that about 1860 the Tralee people used visit the "Patron" at Ballyseedy, mentioning also "Tobar na Molt" (Ardfert) and "Baile na Girach" (Lixnaw) both of which have holly wells. By Ballyseedy he means Cathair Brioghac Cross - which is also always so miscalled. No one ever now associates the May Day assembly with the well called "Tobairín". Hence value of King's evidence corroborating my theory. Joyce says the wells called "Tobar Rí an Domhnaigh" were so named because they were visited on a Sunday. I suspect this strange title is rather a pun on some old Pagan name such as "Tobar Rí an Domhain". Locally this well is called "Tobairín" Probably the Domhnaigh was dropped.At Baile Mhic Phiarais, in Jn. W. Daly's is Tobar Riogh an Domhnaigh (the well of the king of Sunday). People translate it Sunday's Well. There are two very large and active Springs here- sending a big "caol" to Abha na Mainge about a quarter of a mile off. Mary Carmody who married into the townland in 1860

The preceding story of "jumpers" was given by Jer Reidy (89) of Kilmore, Rathanny. He said he witnessed the jumping at Ballyseedy but did not see the jumping of the Currens River - only heard it as a rumour.

Once upon a time there lived at Ballyseedy an old woman who had but one son. His name was Jack and he was both tall and lazy. He spent most of his day sleeping and they lived in a very small cabin. One day his mother went to town and Jack stretched himself at his full length and knocked the walls of the cabin. He

he replied "because I killed the giants and now the land is my own." The king threw himself on his knees and begged Jack to come home with him. Jack did so, and the shoe slipped on easily and the part of hair and ear matched. Then the princess and Jack got married and Jack sent home to Ballyseedy for his mother. And if they did not live happy that we may and when they be drinking coffee that we may be drinking "tay."

When evening came the people partook of refreshments and took a rest. Then they marched back to town again after the band. People from other districts went home by cars, bicycles etc. very tired but happy after an enjoyable day.
For the past seventeen or eighteen years the number of people going to Ballyseedy on May Sunday had dwindled, and some years nobody went there. The reason for this is that a number of men were cruelly killed near the spot by being blown up in a mine, and people feel that it is not a suitable place for enjoyment.

the Blennerhassets to some other Protestant family. He thought they would be delighted. He regarded the other family as equal if not superior to the Blennerhassets. Alas the father of the ladies, otherwise, he gave a large sum of money for those days to the poet and said he would have quadruped the amount only for the reference to the other family. It is said that the latter were descend-ants of pervests and hence the contempt the purely protestant for them. It is also stated that Ballyseedy was a home

There is a wood near my house called "Ballyseedy Wood". Once upon a time a man named Butler was driving the coach for the Blennerhassets. His ghost is still seen driving his coach along the bank of the river. The man driving the coach has no head and he can say go on to his horses. He has a big whip and he hits the horses with it. The colour of the horses is white. It is said if you were a certain

The Palatins Daughter“The Palatins Daughter” is supposed to have been written by a native of Ballyseedy. His name was James Whitston of Liosardbula. His descendants are still living there. It is said he was a poet but there is not any other tidings of any poetry he composed. Long ago there was a market for hiring men. A man named James Curran hired a man and this man had to go

There are four graveyards in the parish namely OBrennan, Nohovals [?], Ballyseedy and Ballymacellig [?] each called after the townland in which it is situated. All four are still in use. None of the churchyards are round in shape. There is an old story connected with OBrennan churchyard which says that during a certain night it moved from one side of a river to the other. The churchyards are usually level. There are trees growing in some of them. There are several old underground tombs in these churchyards. There are no disused graveyards in the parish. Long ago unbaptised children were buried in the haggard. Local families still use certain graveyards though they may be much further distant than the parish graveyard, for there is a local belief that a family burial-ground should never be changed.