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The Schools’ Collection

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. More information

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  1. Local Heroes

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 425

    LOCAL HEROES
    Andrew Kiely and his brother Paddy Kiely, natives of Churchtown, were great dancers.
    Jer O’Brien was great storyteller and he was also a great singer. He was a native of Annagh.
    The best musician in this district was James O’Callaghan, a native of Churchtown. He was a traditional fiddler. If he ever heard a tune he would write down the notes of it from memory. He was gifted musician

  2. Old Crafts - Linen-Weaving

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 432

    OLD CRAFTS: LINEN WEAVING
    Long ago flax was grown in Annagh in the parish of Churchtown, Mallow. There were flax mills in the district then. A colony of weavers from Antrim settled in the district and introduced the industry.
    There is a field in the locality called the “Bleach Field” where flax used to be bleached.. There was an old mill worked by wind hence the name “Windmill” a town land in Churchtown. Several of the Antrim weavers are buried in the old graveyard of Kilgroggan.

  3. Local Heroes

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 436

    LOCAL HEROES
    There was man called O’Driscoll living in this district long ago. He had a horse of which he was very fond. He used to walk to Bandon from Churchtown thrice in the week and he used to lead the horse after him. He used to wear rubber shoes. Before he would take refreshment he would feed the horse and clean the harness. He used to stay a couple of days in Bandon and used to walk to Churchtown again leading the horse. He was a great walker.

  4. Some Historical Notes on Churchtown

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 441

    SOME HISTORICAL NOTES ON CHURCHTOWN
    Cjhurchtown was formerly called Bruhenny the meaning of which is doubtful, but the first part of the name means a Palace or residence of a chieftain. This old residence was given to the Church. The old church of Churchtown, the ruins of which are to be seen behind the street was built on the site of the ancient “Brugh”. There was formerly a number of castles in this parish. They were as follows: (a) Annagh, (b) Ballymacow, (c) Walshestown. All these belonged to the Barry Family. They got into financial difficulties and were forced to mortgage their lands to a greedy adventurer named Percival, ancestor of the Earls of Egmont who were the late landlords of the parish. Percival closed in the mortgage

  5. (no title)

    “During a snowstorm of some years ago the Mail bar which had come from Mallow to collect the mails got stuck half way between Liscarroll and Churchtown.”

    CBÉS 0368

    Page 098

    During a snowstorm of some years ago the Mail Car which had to come from Mallow to collect the mails got stuck half way between Liscarroll and Churchtown. The driver thought it would be better to go to Churchtown and phone to Mallow but he had to turn in to a neighbouring house in order to warm himself. He and another man went to the village and phoned for another car.
    A car was sent from Mallow to try and relieve him but it got stuck too
    The mails were very later next morning

  6. (no title)

    “There are four graveyards in this parish...”

    CBÉS 0394

    Page 031

    There are four graveyards in this parish. There are two in Cloyne the "old one" and the "new one". There is another in Churchtown and one in Shanagarry. There is the ruin of a church in Churchtown graveyard, and there was a ruin of another church in Shanagarry up to a few years ago. There is a church in Cloyne old graveyard. All the graveyards are used yet. The people go to their own graveyards and they are buried within the ruins.
    The church in Cloyne old graveyard was once the catholics Catheral. A local man foretold that on a certain Sunday before

  7. Old Churchyards

    CBÉS 0394

    Page 253

    Long ago, in every townland called Olil[?] or Bil, there was a churchyard, such as Kilderrig, Kilmacahill, Kilcenock. There are three churchyards in the parish of Cloyne, one in Cloyne one in Shanagarry, and one in Churchtown South. There is a also a new cemetery in Cloyne at the back of the Catholic church, and there are only about thirteen buried in it. The old churchyard is in Church Street and is only a few yards away from the round tower. The protestant cathedral is situated at the entrance to the churchyard.
    These are all still in use. None of the churchyards are round in shape. There is a ruined church in Churchtown South, and in Shanagarry.
    The old

  8. Bone-Setters

    CBÉS 0471

    Page 266

    Denis Crowley, Churchtown.
    Sam Johnson, Meanus. (living) [died 1937?]
    John Philip OSullivan, Churchtown.
    John Philip Foley,

  9. Old Graveyards

    CBÉS 0667

    Page 195

    In the parish there are four graveyards namely Tallanstown, Philipstown, Churchtown and Charlestown.
    Tallanstown is situated about four miles from Ardee. Philipstown is situated between Tallanstown and Louth. Churchtown is situated between Tallanstown and Drumcondrath. Charlestown between Reaghstown.
    There are tombstones over most of the graves very few of these are made from marble the rest are made from stone iron or wood. The farthest back dates on these crosses are 1624, 1653, 1703.
    Some people in this district are still been buried in another graveyard outside the parish which they call their family "burial ground".

  10. (no title)

    “The tale I am going to relate happened in the year of 1802.”

    CBÉS 0831

    Page 205

    and every fortnight they would have a gamble and they would set up the socks at 1s/6d per pair. Ned Tearney and all the fine young boys of the County would go gamble for the socks. About eleven o'clock at night as Ned Tierney was returning home after winning four pairs of socks, he was within 3 fields of his own house when he heard some noise behind him He looked around and he saw a bearer and a coffin and only three men carrying it. Ned was very brave and he said he would help them. None of them ever spoke to him, nor he to them. There was a Chapel in Churchtown, Cremorgan, Timahoe, and a cemetery. Ned thought they were going to bury the corpse in Churchtown. They went on until they came to a style and the first two men got over it. Ned turned to the man that was behind with him. "In the name of God how will you and I get over it?" When he mentioned the name of God the coffin immediately fell to the ground.
    With the slap the lid flew off the coffin, and a lovely girl with golden hair rose up out of the coffin, and told him not to be afraid that she was not dead at all. She asked him if he could take her to some house that she

  11. The Old Graveyards

    CBÉS 0879

    Page 149

    inside the ruins of the church. St. Michael's graveyard and the old graveyard in Kilrane are the only graveyards in this parish not used now. Cooneys of Fiveacre are buried in Ballybrennan, and St. Michael's graveyard was the burial place of the Jones of Walshe's Lough.
    In the Penal times when the soldiers were hunting for the Irish priests, they caught and killed one in Churchtown graveyard, and his blood is still to be seen on the church wall. Local families still use certain cemeteries outside this parish, for burial places. Hores of Hill-of-Sea, Tagoat, use a churchyard in Carne, which is eight miles distant, as a burialplace. Roberts of Rose Hill are buried in Castlebridge, which is about twelve miles distant. Codds of Kilscoran are buried in Enniscorthy, which is about twenty-five miles distant, and Corishes of Cottage are buried in Churchtown, Carne. There is one grave in the ruins of the church, which has a tomb on which the names of the people buried in it can be seen plainly. Jacobs are the people's names, who are buried in it. People

  12. The Local Forge

    CBÉS 1105

    Page 74

    Robert Robb has a black-smith's forge in Churchtown. It is made of wood and painted black. This man's father and grandfather were blacksmiths too. Robert's brother Sam helps him to work in it. Everyone round the country side bring horses to it for to get shod.
    There are a great many tools in a forge such as an anvil, bellows, hammers, sledges, spanners, tongs, nippers, etc. People get cart wheels shod in it too and all sorts of iron work such as ploughs, harrows and farming implements made. It contains two windows and one fireplace and a wooden bench.
    He uses water to cool his iron. This water is a cure for (water) warts. The forge is beside Churchtown burn. The winter is a busy time for a black-smith for horses need to be well shod going out in the frost.

  13. My Own Townland

    CBÉS 1105

    Page 84

    I live in the townland the Haw in the parish of Tuaghboyne, Barony of north Raphoe. There are 11 families and about 56 people. There are two very old women Mrs Cassie Devenny and Mrs. Annie Bryers, address The Haw Carrigans.
    The houses are all slated except two. There is the ruin of an old forge at churchtown bridge. A good many people emigrated to America long ago. There is no song or saying connected with the townland.
    There is no Churchtown "Burn runs past he townland. The land is flast and good. The Haw means the meadow land beside the river.

  14. Topographic

    CBÉS 0669

    Page 057

    Leig a' phucha - field near Maguire's Riverstown

    Fields near Churchtown
    "Tobar a fitch"
    Tullycarravan
    Léana-shamana - (probably sorrel meadow)
    The Seanwilla (Sean Bhuaile)
    The Sweat-house field
    Páirc Feehan?
    The Cur
    The Boolintether (Buaile an Teidir)
    The Parkacarna field near Churchtown
    The Crummy (Cromach) field near Churchtown (sloping)
    Ally Mórs field near Churchtown

    Annasmot (Innis Mocht')
    Between Burly Bridge and Mandistown Cross (See story)

    Eannach - field at J. Mc Keever's Stickillen

    Clottan Bridge in John St Ardee, means Clochán Bridge. It is said there was a Clochán or Stepping Stones where the Bridge now stands. Near by is Stony Lane.

    Croc Cruinne - a little hill in Abraham's Marsh
    Croc na Spá - a little hill in Abraham's field (always green, even in Winter)

    The Black Stick = Currabeg (part of

    Local names for parts of townland of Mullanstown
    Snipe Hill
    Tisespin (?)
    Debidy

  15. Hidden Treasure

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 006

    It is said that there is a crock of gold hidden between Liscarroll and Churchtown, and that there is a black bull minding it. People were looking for it but the black bull hunted them, and they were not able to get it. It must be there yet because no one looked for it.

  16. Burning of Churchtown

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 422

    Soon after the fight some people noticed that the tombstone covering “Bole’s Tomb”, a tomb in Killabraher Churchyard near Churchtown had been upset. They investigated it and found a large number of guns and rifles hidden in the tomb - evidently they belonged to the Whiteboys. The people replaced the stone and never told anybody about them and it is said that they are still there.

  17. Burning of Churchtown

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 421

    when they spoke of the Burning of Churchtown “As dead as Benlap”.
    About midnight on the first of February the Whiteboys surrounded the barrack and those on the eastern side threw a volley into the barrack from a nearby wall. The boys on the western side threw sods of lighting turf on the roof which was thatched. Most of the police were killed and three private houses destroyed.
    Next morning Colonel Gough came with soldiers intending to burn the whole village but only for “Sherriff Crofts” who lived near the place and a Father O’Brien who was in Churchtown at the time, the whole place would have been burned out. Three Whiteboys were killed and their bodies were taken to Carrigeen Bog and hidden in ricks of turf until later when they were buried. Two other Whiteboys named Brosnahan and Lillis, two important men, escaped to England but were followed by detectives and a friend of their own who gave them away.
    They were hanged on Peggy’s Rock about half a mile from the village on the Buttevant Road. Another Whiteboy, names Singleton, was hanged on Knockardbane Hill near Liscarroll and the grass has never since grown on the place.

  18. Local Heroes

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 424

    LOCAL HEROES
    Paddy Mahony is the best weight thrower in the district at present. He won a prize at some meeting a few years ago because he threw a weight weighing two stone about a distance of twenty five yards. He is also a great artist. He drew the village of Churchtown on paper and painted every one of the houses the same colour as they are. He also put in all the roads exactly and it was like a photograph of the village.
    William O’Brien often walked to Cork when he was younger. He was still a great walker until lately when he met with an accident. He used to walk to work every morning about three miles and walk home every evening.He is also a great Irish step-dancer as are many of the old men in the district.
    Daniel Buckley of Ballindelanig, Churchtown is also one of the old Irish step-dancers. He is over seventy years of age.

  19. Old Crafts - Rope-Making

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 430

    OLD CRAFTS: ROPE MAKING
    People used to make their own ropes long ago. They used to make hay ropes for tying wynds. They would pull a bit of hay and twist it and then they would put either a bit of a stick or a bit of iron into the hay. They would make it very long and sometimes they used to double it to make it strong. Jim Brislane of Carrageen used to make them. He made several ropes out of binding twines twelve years ago and they are still in use.

    Margaret O' Sullivan Windmill Churchtown.
    Information received from Denis O' Sullivan. Windmill Churchtown.

  20. (no title)

    “In the year 1822 the "White Boys" attacked the Police Barracks in Churchtown.”

    CBÉS 0368

    Page 070

    In the year 1822 the "White Boys" attacked the Police Barracks in Churchtown. The Police defended it bravely until the attackers set it on fire. They did this by throwing lighting sods of turf up on the thatched roof which immediately caught fire. The Police rushed out and there were three killed and seven wounded. Their horses in the stables at the back of the Barracks were burned to death.