Told to me by James Molloy of Monaduff aged 70 years

Severe weather is talked about in this locality under the headings of Lightning, Wind, Snow, Frost and Drought. It is peculiar that this district escapes damage by wind but gets more than its fair share of lightning. The "Night of the Big Wind", about 100 years ago is but vaguely mentioned. The storm of February 1903 did considerable damage to some house-roofs. Lightning seems to strike very much in the vicinity of Corn Hill. As iron stone is found in the bed of the Blacksticks River it thought that lightning may be attracted to this district by deposits of iron ore in the ground. During the past forty years at least four dwellings were struck by lightning and inmates injured, death resulted in one case. Nothing is known about the time or circumstances of the "Big Snow". There was a great frost in 1878 which lasted for six weeks. A drought and great heat in 1887 lasted for three months. This caused a big shortage in grass and grain crops, but potatoes were good and plentiful. Shortage of water compelled some people to go several miles for water.