StoryTold by P. Hynes, Laurencetown.There was a man named Feathers going through Calaghan's field one night. He heard great noise as if there was a hunt. People running about saying "Where is my horse, where is my horse"? So he asked for a horse. But they said that they had no horse for him, but that they would give him a calf. So they did, but they told him not to speak no matter where they went or what happened. For some time the calf galloped on as good as any horse. But they came as far as the Shannon and the calf as well as the horses jumped it. Feathers was so much surprised that he said "I don't care what

About three years ago there came around two people named Brennans. They came about five o'clock in the evening. They asked my father for a few nights lodging in the barn. The girl was a half cracked kind of a person.
They had a wooden box going around with them, in which they carried their food. These two people travelled on foot, as they had nothing to carry them about. They were selling blessed badges of our Lady of Lourdes. That is how they earned their living. My Mother asked the girl if she had any children; she told her that it was hard enough for herself to walk and not to be bringing children with her.
He gave them the loan of the barn for a few nights. They used to go out in the day selling those badges, and come back at night to sleep in the barn. At long last, the two of them footed off for Laurencetown, and they never troubled us again.
(Joe Noone, Aughrim Hill)

Old StoryFrom Mrs. Corbett age 97
Laurencetown.Two old men Mick and Pat lived quite near each other. Mick had a hump and Pat one blind eye. One morning Mick went to the wood for some firewood and was returning by Pat's house just as Pat was getting up. "Begorra Mick", said Pat, "you are back early with your back load". "He must be early" said Mick indignantly "because you have only one blind pulled yet".

Pete Healy an old inhabitant of Laurencetown usually stated the reverse to what he meant in conversation. One day an acquaintance called to see him. You are heartily welcome said Pete. Seldom you come and that's not often. Walk right in there's no-one inside but the little girl and she is gone for water.One day talking about a bicycle Pete said. It's a great invention entirely. All you have to do is to sit up and walk off.Describing an illness to a friend one day, he said, Well I didn't work three months in six weeks.Pete met with an accident once and had his foot attended to by the local doctor. Well he said to a neighbour, the doctor made a great hand of my foot.

Fairy StoriesBelview residence of the Laurences was famous for it's fairies. A white lady was frequently seen at the famous Rock Bridge, while in and around the "Big House" fairy music was heard at midnight. Several angles of Belview Avenue were the scenes of some ghostly duels and frequently a Black Dog was to be met with with at dead hour of night.The River over which the Bridge known as the Rock Bridge is situated, was formally used as a canal by which the turf saved in Laurencetown bog used to be conveyed to the Residence in boats. Here the shouts of the boatmen and the splash of the oars can be heard at midnight.A steward once employed in Belview summoned a widow's son for cutting some

eat the same as always".The workman said they would guarantee his recovery if he re-established the people he had evicted in Dooras.He did, so they took the curse off him and he recovered.They had to dig up the sheaf, and all the Marys and Biddies and Maggies had to collect again and the smith struck the anvil and they went through the ceremony of taking the curse off him.The forge in Laurencetown has a black wood roof. The walls were white washed outside, but are nearly black now. They shoe horses and asses and not cattle there. They put iron on wheels in the open air. There is a small river near from which they

the bed and then up on top of them in the bed. When 'it' got off the bed they lit a light but they could not see anything.Although Jack Taffee had great courage still that noise was the cause of his death people say. He is now dead for about six years but his cottage is still there.People say that is is not right to build a house or portion of it on a path.There was a cottage built about half a mile from Laurencetown and one room of it was built over what was known as a fairies path. When people went to sleep in that room they were always thrown out of the bed during the

BelviewBelview is situated in the Parish of Laurencetown in the County Galway. There was a very big house there, which was owned by a man named Lawrence. There was a window in the house for every day of the yer. There are avenues leading to house. There is a gate about a mile from this school called the 'New Gate', which was erected by Wm. Lawrence. There are images of mermaids there cut out in stone. It is said that Wm Lawrence worshipped the mermaids.On one occasion he was going to America he had his valet with him. The valet was a married man, he had a wife and family. When they were sailing a mermaid attacked the ship. There were lots drawn to see who would have to be thrown out to the mermaid. The lot fell on Wm. Lawrence. The valet offered to be thrown out to the mermaid instead of his master, provided that Wm. Lawrence would compensate his wife and family. Wm Lawrence agreed to do so. The valet was about to be thrown out, when the mermaids smiled and swam away

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Funny Stories (cont'd)
A. Scott, Lismany, Laurencetown.First Day at Races
Tom Kelly nicknamed "Snug" went to the Galway races for the first time in his life at the age of fifty years. He arrived at the racecourse early with two friends. They went to the refreshment tent and had a couple of drinks. They then decided to inspect the course. When they came to the Regulation Jump "Snug" asked his comrades "what was that?" and was told it was a Jump. "What do you mean Man?" "Do you think I'm a fool sure no horse would jump that?" In the meantime up came a local jockey - Jack Cahabin - and saluted his friends. The Jockey was in a hurry as he was billed to ride in the first race. "By the way Jack you are the man that can tell me what is that" - pointing to the jump" enquired "Snug". That is the Regulation Fence replied the jockey departing. "It is to be sure" said "Snug". "and why wouldn't it these fellows told me it was a jump"

PoetsThere was only one poet heard of in this locality called Johnny Fell. He wrote a poem on a police man who summoned him at one time. The police man's name was Tom Dunleavy,This is the first verse:-"I am the proudest bobby in Laurencetown,
The people all hate me,
The blackguards cry as I pass by,
There goes Tom Dunleavy".

refused to tell him. He gave her the money but he informed the police about the whole business.
That night two police went in ambush near the house. At midnight a figure dressed in a habit came to the house. The woman was about to give him the money when he was rushed on by the police. The figure still acted the ghost and said, "Leave me go and I'' leave ye go." One of the police fell in a faint while the other bravely clung to the figure which afterwards turned out to be a local man. He got paid well for his villany. He was marched through the nearest town dressed in his habit and got twelve months (impros) imprisonment. Name: Laurence Ryan,
Laurencetown,
Kiffinane.
Age: 56 years

Gannaveen
Laurencetown
Ballinasloe
9-11-'38Dear SirPlease forward me the watch, price £1:1:0 which I saw advertised in your catalogue.I enclose P.O. for price of the watch.Yours faithfully
Bridie Mariner