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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. Story

    “Once upon a time there was a Bishop and his parents came from the Isle of Doagh.”

    CBÉS 1121

    Page 260

    Once upon a time there was a Bishop and his parents came from the Isle of Doagh. The Bishop's name was Bishop O Colaghan. At the same time there was a man named McDaid in Cabby Duey a place near Coolcross. There was a Protestant man living in Carndonagh named William Campbell. (man) Now the English soldiers were stopping in Carndonagh and this William Campbell man was hiding the Bishop on them. If you would get a priest's head in that time you would get ten pounds from the English for it.
    This man named McDaid came to William Campbell and asked him

  2. The Battle of Pollin

    CBÉS 1121

    Page 279

    a hill in Mindoran they can see Ractin and the ships are seen going across Ractin on the sea as if it were really on Ractin they were travelling.
    Bells
    There was a bell called St. Patrick's and it was supposed to belong to St. Patrick when he was preaching in the north of Ireland. It was stolen and buried a few miles outside Carndonagh and every St. Patrick's morning it as heard ringing under the soil.
    There was another bell stolen by the protestants and brought to Carndonagh Protestant church and it would never ring nor make any sound in the church unless it was taken outside the vicinity of the church.

  3. Gleneely

    CBÉS 1122

    Page 247

    Gleneely is situated mid-way between Moville and Carndonagh. It is said to be the nicest spot in Inishowen. Gleneely means the vale of lime but some people say it is the Irish for "manured vale". I think the manured vale is right for there is no limestone in the district.
    It was more important thirty years ago than it is now for there was a quarterly fair in it then and now there is none. There was also a police barracks and now there is none. There is a pretty river running through Gleneely called the Culdaff river, it is about thirty feet wide at Gleneely. About a hundred years ago a man named Patrick McLaughlin lived at Gleneely. He was a weaver it is said he went three times a week to Carndonagh to weave. He had to cross the river going and coming to Carn

  4. The Monastery in Carrowmore

    CBÉS 1123

    Page 309

    St Patrick came from Derry to Carndonagh and on from Carndonagh to Moville through Carrowmore. At Carrowmore his nephew "Conais" built a hut to teach those St. Patrick converted here. This hut was called Both Chonais and name was retained until last generation.
    Between years 673 and 693 St. Congellus or Congal built a monastery near site of Both Chonais. This monastery was in existence for a time and stones crosses are still standing as evidence of the monastery's location. One of the crosses is situated in the graveyard connected with the monastery. The monks left Carrowmore and went to erect Church at Cill Maigh Ruaidh but owing to opposition were unable to have church erected and a fight took place hence name of place Cill Maigh Ruaidh. They finally built church at Claggan about one mile from Carrowmore. We are told that a great number of monks lived in Claggan so great that when walking

  5. The Cow

    CBÉS 1123

    Page 462

    The cow is tied in the byre by the bórach - a rope with a "sweel" on it, to the "Revel tree that is a rib or plank running along wall of byre from gable to gable. Some of the cows are tied around horns if they are inclined to "prod" the others. Some are tied around neck. If a maol cow is included to "break" she is tied with brauk, which are two pieces of sticks and rope. The word borach and revel tree are still used. The cow is milked twice a day a tin pan is now used. A pigín was used twenty years ago. The milk is strained now into crockery crock, twenty years ago an oak tub was used. This tub was painted white on outside. It lasted for years. The milk is churned in an oak churn and butter lifted off by hand. It is difficult to give churn staff or dash revolving movement so as not to splash milk out of churn. The lip of churn was called the clum. There were many coopers who made churn and tubs of butter dishes. The son of the cooper in Carndonagh was the teacher in the Carndonagh school. He resigned 25 years ago. Thomas Doherty was his name but he always got "Tommie the Cooper". His nephew lives in his house but does not work at trade. Churns come from Derry. Fifty years ago the butter

  6. An Old Story

    CBÉS 1110

    Page 400

    It is said that on the main road between Umricam and Drumfries there is a sound to be heard at the late hour of night. It is supposed to be the sound of footsteps and no one can be seen. The reason is that a man was returning from a Carndonagh fair some years ago when he was put to death on the moor

  7. Hidden Treasure

    CBÉS 1111

    Page 298

    in Shandrum. Shandrum is about four miles from Buncrana on the way to Carndonagh. This treasure is a bag of gold. This was supposed to be hidden by a robber who stole it from someone a long time ago.

  8. Severe Weather

    CBÉS 1113

    Page 464

    On the 22nd of December, 1894, there was a great storm. A great number of trees were blown down and cornstacks were blown all over the land, roofs were lifted off the houses, and some houses were blown down. Ships at sea were dashed against the rocks, and they could not get into ports owing to the storm. The Glentogher river was flooded and carts and cars and people on foot could not get up or down the road leading to Carndonagh Co. Donegal.

  9. Severe Weather

    CBÉS 1113

    Page 465

    There was a great storm on the 21st November 1882. It was the fair of Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, and the half of the people were not able to get home. They had to take lodging in the town. There were some men who got to John Bryson's Townland of Meadon More, Parish of Muff, Co. Donegal, and they went in to stay all night and when they went in the house was not damaged but before they were in an hour the roof was blown off the house and the walls were

  10. Severe Weather

    CBÉS 1113

    Page 466

    On the 21st of August seven years ago there were great floods of rain. There was a fair in Carndonagh, Co. Donegall the same day. It rained very heavy all day and in the evening roads and rivers and everywhere was flooded. There was a man the name of Ned Doherty and his wife who were at the fair. They started for home very late and the

  11. Death Signs

    “Two children belonging to Mr Daniel Doherty, Altohay, Carndonagh, died about twenty five years ago.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 121

    Two children belonging to Mr. Daniel Doherty, Altasha, Carndonagh, died about twenty-five years ago. One clear moonlight night Daniel was coming up the road below his own house and he saw the two babies sitting up on the top of the fence. I heard Daniel saying that they were as natural as they were a month before they died and when he saw them they were calling "Daddy, Daddy," but Daniel had not the power to speak to them.

  12. Death Signs

    “About eighty years ago a woman who had been away in America for a long time wrote home to her parents who were living beside the convent in Carndonagh, informing them that she was coming home to pay them a visit.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 122

    About eighty years ago a woman who had been away in America for a long time wrote home to her parents who were living beside the convent in Carndonagh, informing them that she was coming home to pay them a visit. The day after she wrote the letter she took seriously ill and died on the night her parents were expecting her. They remained up until a late hour awaiting her arrival but as it was so late they thought perhaps she had stopped in Derry, so they retired to bed. Later in the

  13. Fairy Stories

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 125

    About forty years ago there lived a man named Billy Doherty in Glack, Carndonagh. He had a field of turnips near the hill Cruckrooskey, and he was afraid that the sheep might come down and eat them. He stayed in the field at night. One night he heard great music and he became afraid so he went home and said that he would never go back again to watch the turnips. It was supposed to be the fairies who were singing and dancing.

  14. (no title)

    “A woman named Nora O' Donnell lived in Tiernaleague, Carndonagh about twelve years ago.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 143

    A woman named Nora O'Donnell lived in Tiernaleague, Carndonagh about twelve years ago. One day when she was out walking she heard crying in front of a neighbour's house. She walked on quickly until she came to the gate of the

  15. (no title)

    “About ninety years ago my great grandfather, John Kearney of Cashelcraw, Carndonagh, was quarring stones in a field near the house.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 147

    About ninety years ago my great grandfather, John Kearney of Cashelcraw, Carndonagh, was quarrying stones in a field near the house. He came to a well over which a flat flag rested. He lifted the flag and as soon as he lifted it a

  16. (no title)

    “When the people of Carndonagh were carting on the Derry road there was a man named Tom Doherty coming home from Derry with a load of goods.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 163

    When the people of Carndonagh were carting on the Derry Road there was a man named Tom Doherty coming home from Derry with a load of goods. When he was a mile out of Derry he saw a little light approaching. He reined in his horse

  17. (no title)

    “There was a man and woman living in Carndonagh about sixty years ago.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 164

    There was a man and woman living in Carndonagh about sixty years ago. They had a child of six months old. One day she went out

  18. (no title)

    “About five years ago a man named Neil Doherty who lived in Glack, in the parish of Carndonagh had some land in the "Buildings" and a man named Mr Doogen bought it with the intention of growing hay.”

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 168

    About five years ago a man named Neil Doherty who lived in Glack, in the parish of Carndonagh had some land in the "Buildings" and a man named Mr Doogen bought it with the intention of growing hay. When the hay was saved a great snowstorm came and the people of the "buildings" had not any turnips or hay in for the cattle. Their own fields were far away and they asked Mr. Dorgan for the loan of some hay until the snow would melt he

  19. A Great Walker

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 179

    A woman one time lived in Collin, Carndonagh, and her name was Mary Hartin. One morning she milked her cows and as soon as she had them milked she walked to Derry for a hundred weight of

  20. Funny Stories

    CBÉS 1114

    Page 194

    About sixty years ago a man lived in Cardonagh. He was a Baker and he went to America, but he could not get any work. He wrote home to his mother and said he was loafing. She thought he meant he was making loaves so she wrote back to him and told him he might as well be making baps in Carndonagh than leaves in America.