and heard them preach the appealing and eloquent Irish sermons in the little thatched chapel in the centre of the present Kilrossanty graveyard. Those saintly priests were educated and ordained abroad and recalled from far away to rekindle the dying embers of the faith.
Practically half the parish was Protestant at this time and it was customary to see the Presbyterian Preacher at every fair and market inducing the people to join what they called the reformed church. He said he witnessed the great struggle of the 1826 election when the supremacy of the Beresfords was tried. Curraghmore was then at the peak of its power. Forty freeholders on the bank of the Mahon were forcibly thrown out on the roadside for voting against their Lord. He contended that it was we Waterford people won Catholic Emancipation and not Clare. You had no National School at this time but of course private teachers went to the houses, the

Once upon a time, my father was at my uncle's house in Ballykillmurry and on the same night a Horse-Power-Machine was to come, my father said he would wait and be home with the machine men.
He waited until two oclock in the morning, he started off. My uncle told him stay, but he said his sister would be up waiting up until he came home.
When he was turning down Kilrossanty Cross he saw a big Ram coming towards him. He was as large as a hay stack. My father blessed himself and after a while the ghost disappeared. He saw him again and did the same thing. My father reached home and my Aunt was waiting up for him.

became Abbot after some years. Once when on a Visitation of his Monastery in Australia he wrote that beautiful song praising the people and the scenery of the Co. Waterford. - "A Chomaraigh aoibhinn Ó". He also got the works and poems of Riobárd Bheldon printed. They were born and reared near each other in Kilrossanty. Abbot Whelan died about 8 years ago.4. Tadhg Gaedhlach O'Súilleabháin: supposed to be born 5 miles to the S.W. of Youghal. A great portion of his life was spent in the neighbourhood of Youghal, Dungarvan and Cappoquin while he made periodical visits to East Waterford: the Powers Country - a tract of land between Waterford city and base of Comeragh Mountains. Dungarvan was the centre of his excursions. Born in early part of the 18th century, and in his youth led a life of gaiety, and was the soul of the society in which he moved. His wit delighted the bards, and he was a favourite with all classes. But a time came when yielding to his religious convictions he retired from the social throng, and lived as a hermit. Tadhg was low in stature, one story that has come down to us describes him as a Cearrbhach - or gambler, who spent his time in playing cards, and tell how he kept crowds of young men from Mass on Sundays for the purpose of gambling. On one occasion the priest made a raid on the card-house, and Tadhg see-

I am living in Grawn - in the parish of Kilrossanty about 10 miles from Dungarvan and 20 miles from Waterford City. I am in the Deise without Drum and in West Waterford, There are 10 families in my townland and about 50 people. There are two families of Cunninghams one of Heavers, Brazils, Coynes, Whelans, Currans, Dees and Caseys. Most of the houses are slated with a few thatched ones. Mr. Ned Coyne working with Mr. Coyne, Grawn, and Mrs Coyne, Grawn, are over 70 years, and are getting their pension, and they both speak Irish. Mrs. Coyne was for some time in America.
Some of the land is very good for cultivation and for cattle grazing. There are some bogs. It was in Mr. Heaver's bog that they found the remains of a man some weeks ago. The Comeragh Mountains are about 5 1/2 miles from Grawn and Lake Com-Seanghan the same distance. The river Tae flows into the sea at Stradbally, and is about 1 mile from my home. "A Chomaraigh Aoibhinn O" is a beautiful song and poem that the Abbot Whelan composed in Australia about the Comeragh Mountains and about the people of Comeragh and the people of Co. Waterford.

There are two forges near my home: one is about a mile away, and the other about 2 1/2 miles. Mr. John Barry is the owner of the distant one, and it is situated a short distance from the road leading from Leamybrien to Kilrossanty Cross. Mr. John Harris is the owner of the other, and his forge is situated alongside of the Main Road: about 2 miles from Kilmacthomas facing the East. The forges are not very large: just a large space for a fireplace, a large bellows, and space for 3 or 4 horses, a window and a large door.
The smith shoes horses and asses, and makes and mends farm implements: ploughs, harrows, spades, shovels, pikes, axes, and other implements. In the middle of the floor is a large anvil, and some boxes with the smith's implements in them. There are numbers of old and new shoes in one corner and coal for the fire. There is also a big tank of water to cool the red iron. People pay the smith for doing any work: either for making or for mending implements, or for putting shoes on horses and asses. Everybody looks to the smith as a great powerful working man in every way.

In olden times shops were very few. People had to walk six or seven miles to the nearest town or shop. Buying and Selling took place after Mass. All kinds of goods were sold. This took place until recent years in Kilrossanty. In times gone by people gave cows, calves, sheep etc., instead of money Goods were bartered in olden times, but not in this parish. Labour was, and is given, in exchange for goods even at present.
These are some of the words connected with Buying and Selling_ "Boot" and "Tick". Boot means suppose I were selling an ass to a tinker, for example he'd give me 10/- for the ass, I'd have to give him some money with the ass. "Tick" means to give any person merchandise until they have the money to pay for it. Dealers in feathers and rags are still going around; it is by weight they buy them_ 2/6 per st.

The name of this townland is "Clonea". The parish is also called Clonea. The townland of Clonea is in the Upper Third Barony. There are nine families in this district and about forty four or fourty five people made up of farmers, shopkeepers, tradesman, and labourers; Power is the most common name because the district is called "Clonea Power".The slated house is the most common in this district. There is only one thatched house and that is Connollys in Clonea village. The townland is called "Cluainfia" and that means the "Valley of the Deer" and the village got it name from the district and the same with the parish. There is no one in the district over 70 years. There is only only one person who can speak some Irish and that is Mrs. Balligan the post mistress of Clonea and she is a native of Kilrossanty. There are only ten houses in the townland now, but there were three times as many, some year ago. There were twice as many dwelling houses in the village long ago, that are now used as out houses and storehouse.

Long ago there were many customs carried on Saint Brigids Eve the feast of which is held on the 1st of February. One of the customs was to put something on Saint Brigid's Eve out on the window sill, such as a scarf or a strip of calico a tie or belt and leave it there for the night. This was believed to cure a headache. Saint Brigid was thought to come in the night and touch it This was known by the old people as "brat Bríghde" and they had great faith that this would cure all pains.
There are wells in the parish of Kilrossanty where people go on Saint Brigid's Day to say prayers and make the rounds St Brigid is the patron saint of that parish

According to tradition Valentine Wallace was an Augustinian Friar. He became an Apostate to save his land from being seized.
It is said that his original name was Walsh, but his relatives were ashamed of him on account of the shameful deed he committed in changing his religion and so they altered the name of Walsh to Wallace.
The story of Wallace's life is as follows :
When Valentine Wallace became poor he dwelt in a little house in Dalgan which is situated a few miles from Ballinavouga, of which he was the owner in former times.
Valentine Wallace was not long living in Dalgan when he died. After his death the bailiffs came to the house. They did not wish to have him buried at Kilrossanty as his relatives did. But the relatives decided to tell

There is only one poet in the Co. Waterford. His name is Michael Walsh, Ballingown, Kilrossanty Co. Waterford. He had poetry always. It was handed down to his people from generation to generation. He wrote poetry about great Irishmen from 1918 to 1923.
He had a reason for writing these poems, he stirred the National spirit. The poems he wrote were written in English.
This poet was a farmer. This poet wrote poems down and sent them to the local papers. The poets were able to read and write.
The people had great respect for them. Irish poets helped to banish English foes from Ireland.

A famous characher who lived in the middle of the last century was Larry The Wig. His real name was Casey, he received his early education in Kilrossanty N. S. As a boy he was possessed of great talents, which in after years he devoted in the wrong direction.
He was a great composer of verses. He became a preacher, and he attended the surrounding fairs, and markets to pour forth his oratory on religion. On one occasion when preaching at Kilmacthomas he was heckled. One being asked to compose a verse in a minute he replied.As I stand, at Mr. Walsh's mill
I can see a fire on Cruachán hill.
Although that fire be far away.
It reminds me of the parting day.In his later years he grew eccentric and some what addicted to drink. In a pub one day a discussion took

Móna Rud.
There is an old road in the parish of Rathgormack called Móna Rud. It is a shortcut from Rathgormack to Kilrossanty and it is about one mile long. It is an old bye-road and is (about) very rough.Sean-Ceardhcha.
There is an old road at the back of Scartlea called the Sean Ceardhcha. It is so called because there was a forge there long ago. It is an Irish mile long and it is a short cut from Scartlea to Toor. It goes through the wood and is very rough and hilly.Boithrín an Uisge.
There is a road in Churchtown called Boithrín and Uisge. It is a short cut from Churchtown to Ballindysart. The reason it is so called is that water is running out of the end of it. It is a very bad road.
It is said that Mick Kelly saw the dead people hurling there. The teams were Churchtown against Rathgormack and when they scored they shouted in

Two poets lived in our district long ago. Their names were Robert Weldon and Michael Francis Sheehan. Robert Weldon was born in the Parish of Kilrossanty near the Saw Mill on the River Mahon. He worked in the Saw Mill cutting timber. He was a poet by nature. He could compose a poem on the spur of the moment.
All his poems were composed in the language These are the names of the poems which he composed
Tearga na nGaedheal
Musgail a Bhanba
Gleann na Machan
Dán don abb i Cnoch Mellerí
An Bhean Rochaidhe
Robert Weldon got a gold medal as a prize at the Munster Feis for his poem "Musgail a Bhanba" He was called the "Poet of the Comeraghs.
He died in 1928 in his

longer a path. It was there since the Penal Days. The path was used up to two years ago."Bothrín na gcapall caoth". There is an old road in Kilrossanty called "bothrín na gcapall caoth" or the blind horse's road. This got its name beacuse it is so narrow that a blind horse would travel in it.Short-cut. There is a short-cut to the Nire across the Comeragh Mountains. It was a main road to the Nire in the Penal days but now it is only like a path and people seldom travel on it. There was a man killed in and there was a heep of stones where he was killed but they were removed.Stone. There is a stone in Knockavalla where a man was killed and there is a black cross on this stone. The stone is still to be seen on the side of the road but the cross is not plain to be seen as it is washed away with the rain.Roads. The road from school to my house is called Monadiha road. It leads to Clonmel and to Carrick and to Waterford. The name of an old in Knocavalla is the Long Road because there is no turn in a very long bit of it. It goes to Clonmel and to Carrick.Borheen. The name of an old borheen is bothar na bfhaíne because there were gold rings found in a field near it. This road was made in the time of the famine. Women and men worked making it. The pay they got was two pence each per day. There is another old road called bothairín na bfarraige because it has looks of water in it at all times of the year.