Two Giants lived in this locality hundreds of years ago. Their names were Longa and Cannon. They often indulged in stone-throwing. One day the two giants had a contest. They wished to see who would throw a stone the longest distance. They stood on a hill. One of the stones fell in a field in Drumcannon. The marks of the giants [g] fingers are still to be seen on the stone. Carriglong is named after longa and Drumcannon is named after Cannon. Longa's

Drumcannon Fort
Leave Killygordon for Crossroads, turn left on Crossroads Castlefinn Road to Ballyarrel. Turn left at McGowan’s Cottage to Drumfergus, turn left into lane to Drumcannon. The fort is in Mr. Dan Callaghan’s field.

There is a hidden treasure in Drumcannon grave-yard which was placed there by the Sheevra of Ballynaltin. He hid it there before he departed from the earth. He was often doting and fearing that the highway robbers that used to go around at night robbing might rob it from him some-time or other. Whilst he placed it there he exclaimed in a loud voice "It is

Penal days were very cruel days for the people in this district. Their children could not be sent to a Catholic school. Long ago the people went by a people path path of Mass. This was called "Mass Path." Mass used to be said in the open at Drumcannon. Special houses were built in secret places for saying Mass.

In the corner of a field, the property of Mr George Taylor, Drumcannon, Killygordon, Co. Donegal, is a patch of land which is known locally as The Wandering Spot. During the penal times a priest was killed and buried here. Ever since the spot has been considered sanctified ground and it would be considered sacrilege by the people to

There is only one holy well in my district. There is also one above Stranorlar and another in Strabane. The well in my district is along the road and the other two wells are in fields.
If you have a disease of any sort and go to the well and above Stranorlar you must leave a handkerchief or money at the well and your disease will be cured. If anyone lifts the handkerchief or money you have left there, the person will take the same disease as you had.
If you have toothache, and go to the well near Strabane, and drink three sips of its water, then your toothache will be cured, and you will not have it again.
If you have the mumps and go to the well in my district you will get cured. You must be led by a halter by somebody. This is in the townland of Drumcannon, it is called the Holy Well of Drumcannon.

CORNAUGHY (Contd.)townland is a rock called "The Wild Cat Rock". Jas Gormely (aged 75 at death - now deceased for over 10 years) told me that this was an assembly place for numerous wild cats and pitched battles were common. The cats were so numerous that people were often afraid to pass along the road which adjoins the rock.
DRUMSILLA - "Druim Saileach"ridge of the willow trees. Willows are called "Willys" in the locality and are still to be found.
DRUMCANNONprobably "Drum Ceann bhFionn" ridge of the speckled or spotted rocks. The ridge is there and the land is rocky or speckled looking. There is a corn mill owned by Mr Patk Greene in this townland. The mill is worked from the water in the stream flowing from Calloughs Lake and dividing Calloughs from Drumcannon.
KILBRACKENThe Post Office has "Cill Breacáin" on the small post office on the roadside at Kilbracken Bridge just at the Cavan boundary. I can find no tradition to connect this place with any saint named Breacán. Lord Kilbracken of Killegar (family name Godley) took his title from this townland. The present lord is the second to bear the title. In the townland is a crossroads at which is a small wood. This spot has been called

One day not long after the Battle of Waterloo a ship called the Sea Horse came into Tramore Bay. The officers on her had plundered and robbed all the churches. They had all the sacred vessels and chalices on the ship. When the ship came to Brownstown Head she sunk. She did not strike any rocks and it was a very calm day. One officer was saved and he told the story and all the others were washed in ath the Burrow and buired at Drumcannon. All the officers had a couple of rings on each finger. The chalices were not found. There was a

during that night.
Next day the sun shone brilliantly and the sea was very calm. All the dead lay resting on the beach near the Rabbit Burrow. Twenty of them were buried in Drumcannon grave-yard and most of them were (layed) laid to rest in the Rabbot Burrow. It is said that on a stormy evening [one] could hear the piteous cries and the playing of the band.
After this the "Metal Man" was erected as a guide to ships warning them of the dangers of these rocks.

long-ago. Secret houses were built during this time in which to say Mass. One house was built about two fields from my home. No trace of the ruins are now seen. Priests had leave to say mass in other houses also. They were given leave by the owner secretly. These were given to priests to say mass in.
During the most treacherous time of the Penal laws Drumcannon Chapel was knocked to the ground. Many say it was Queen Elizabeth's army who pulled it down.

There was a mass path from Ballynattin through Tom Powers field and straight into The Catholic Church in Drumcannon. Mass was said here in this chapel every morning. This was a very large chapel. It was a very popular church even during the time when the Penal laws were very strictly enforced. The inside of it can be still seen in a fairly good state of preservation. The out-side walls are still standing and are over grown with ivy.
Two priests who always said mass there were often on their keeping. British soldiers often pursued them they often his themselves in Qullia Covert where there is a very large rock. This rock was once a cave.
Some priests said mass in the houses

Tráigh Mhór.
Ins an mBaún 'middle third', Conndae Phuirtláirge. Tá aon paróiste déag ann agus an chuid is mó den dara ceann déag.Drumcannon
Conán Maol Mac Móirne, duine de chompánaigh Fionn Mac Cumhail. É go h-ana mhaoidhteach agus bhí plaitím air. Drom Chonáin - Conan's Ridge. Fathach ab eadh Conán de réir ne sean-daoine - argóint agus easaontas idir é féin agus fathach eile - Longa, as Carraig Long. ....

possessed a great knowledge of herbs. When anyone was ill their relations went to the Sheevra, bringing with them some whiskey, of which he was very fond and he then told them the herb that would cure the sick person. If a horse are any other animal strayed away, it was to the Sheevra they went to know where they would find out. As he always told them the exact spot, in time they began to rely a good deal on his word.One day eight or ten local men heard that a crock of gold was buried in Drumcannon Churchyard. Bringing some whiskey with them they went to the Sheevra's house to find out, if it was true. He told them that it was buried under a large stone but that they should start digging for it before 12 o' clock mid-night. Thy placed the Sheevra in a big hamper and carried him to the place. He told them that while digging for the gold they were to refer to him as the gentleman, but that no matter what happened they were not to call him the

the abode of a party of monks. They owned some of Lismullagh and the lands later owned by the following families, Pat McLoughlin, the late Johnie Callaghan. Paddy Kelly (Caitriona) and Barney Kelly (gara Owen) at that time no road existed there except a continuation of the “Cadger’s Lane.” Which has been traced from Ballindrait through Castlefin, through Ballybun into Cashelin, past Tievebrack and over by Drumcannon into the Lismullaghduff glen, and continued towards Barnesmore. Bridle paths however followed the course of the stream (burns) of Gortin and Mallaghaneary in the direction of the Crossroads. The monks were responsible for the Cultivation of the land in the Glen and especially in the townland of Gortinacoag – the ancient name for that part of Monellan where Biddy Kelly (fox) lives (and hence the origin of “Gortin Road). But the Glen was raided by a party of soldiers (not identified) and the monks fled. The only trace left is a little graveyard and the well. (the graveyard was beside it but lower down on the right bank of the stream).Some time afterwards, a famine visited the Glen

A story is told by John Connaghan Drumcannon, about two women who formerly lived in the district. One of them named Mc Kirklett lived in the house now occupied by Mr. Samuel Rule. Gleneely, and the other in the house in which Mr. George Logue of the same district now resides.
The two women were bitter enemies and spent most of their time fighting with each other. Then Kirklett took ill and died. Mc Cathal's husband went to the wake but she herself remained at home working at her spinning wheel. She sensed that someone else was in the room with and looking up she saw her old enemy standing inside the door dressed in her funeral robes and with a bonnet on her head. In no way daunted or dismayed she

Long ago people had many remedies for their ailments. They cured a toothache by pulling a briar named sweet briar. They boiled it and washed the tooth with it juice. Then they plugged the tooth with wool soaked in this juice and withdrew it after a few minutes.
Many people were cured from warts by visiting a wart well in the neighbourhood of Drumcannon. They came there at sunset and bathed the part of skin which was affected by this disease. This is believed to be a "Holy Well".
Long ago people were supposed to be healed from lameness by visiting "St. Patricks' Well" [in] before sunrise. This well is in Marlfield in Clonmel.
When any of their children suffered from the "Whooping Cough" the usual custom was

hidden now and many attempts shall be made to discover it but they shall never succeed until they call my name in the proper order.
Several attempts were made to unearth it but without success. They always called out "the sheevra" with vengeance. One daring attempt was made. whilst some men were digging a roaring animal appeared in the Heavens and the men cried out in one voice "Sheevra, Sheevra were are you now. The "Sheevra" replied "I am here and ye can go home because ye have not respected my name." The would be discoverers were. Geoffrey Blanche, Michael Whelan, and Andy the Darling all native of Drumcannon.
The treasure consists of gold. The value of which is not known. No light has ever been seen in the place where it lies.
There is also hidden in Ballynattin. It was put there by the Gormoogie. The exact

There are very few roads now that have not a name. They get their names according to the time they were made or where they are. Some of them are The new road. The mill road. The bog road. The long lane. The centre lane. The old road. The mountain road. The new road is leading from Swanlinbar to Bawnboy. At the time the new road was made, there were not many tarred roads, and when it was tarred the people called it '' the new road '' or sometimes the '' new line. ''
The mill road is a by road off the new road. It branches off near a house belonging to Mr. Dolan.
It is called the mill road because there is a mill near it which was working some years ago but it is not working now. The bog road is another by road, it joins the Killadubh road which leads to Swanlinbar, and another part to Bawnboy. It goes through a bog and that is why it is called the bog road. The long lane is a by road off the Killadubh road. It goes through the Finaghoe mountain. It is called the Long Lane because it is so long. The centre lane is a by road off the mill road which goes through the townlands of Drumcannon, Drumcar and Drumcullion. It goes through the centre of Drumcullion and that is why it is called the centre lane. The Glan road

BreadBoxty-bread, potato-cake or as locally called "flour-bread" and oaten bread were the usual kinds of bread locally used.The corn and wheat was grown locally and was ground into meal at home. Quorns or grind-stones were quite common and are still to be found - there are two at John Mac - Goldrick's, Drumcask and one at Pat Maguire's, Knockraney. There was a corn-mill erected forty or fifty years ago in the townland of Drumcullion. In later years another mill was erected on the other side of the river in the townland of Drumcannon - this is now called the New Mill and is now in ruins. It was supposed to be the best corn-mill for miles around. It was worked by water-power.Boxty-bread is still very common in this district and is regarded

tor put an iron bar up his nose and came out at his ear. The blood of the priest ran into a well.Another day the doctor was going on a side-car along the same road. He fell into the well and was drowned.There was a priest bured [sic] near Castlederg. The grave is along the main road into Castlederg. It is a very steep place that he was buried and it is a very quiet place alsoNot far from that there was another priest buried. The grave is covered with white stones and whinsThere is another grave in an Hugh Taylors farm of (C) [?] Drumcannon. The grave is covered with long grass.