School: Cnoc na Biolaraighe

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1. The History of Watergrasshill Village

   

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   What is now known as the parish of Watergrasshill was about 150 years known as the parish of Kilshanahan ? and Ard-na-Gaoithe. The name of Watergrasshill is taken from the Irish of Cnocán-na-[?] The hill of the Watercress stream. The stream was known as the [?] from the watercress which grew in it. The spring from which the place got its name rises in Tinegearagh and flows through the present village through O'Grady's meadow and joins the stream which flows between Ruppaire and Barnetstown and which joins the "Gláise-Buidhe" at Riverstown. It is a well known fact that the water-cress on this particular stream and spring is more luxurious than in any other place in Ireland.
   About 150 yrs ago water-cress was more extensively used than now. At that particular time doctors were not as numerous as they are now and during sickness they used to resort to the old native doctors who used to compound medicine from herbs. In nearly every case they used water-cress. Watercress was also used as a vegetable. They came from miles and miles around to this spring for watercress and the district became known as water-cress spring. The following is taken from poet Thomas Moore who used to visit Father Prout at Watergrasshill:-

   "By taking time and some advice from Prout,
   A polished book of songs I hammered out.
   But still my Muse, for she the fact confesses,
   Haunts that sweet hill for water-cresses"

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Kitty O Connell

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Condonstown South, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Patrick O Connor

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Condonstown South, Co. Cork