Cragg, Birdhill, Limerick. Maura Mannion Cragg, Birdhill, Limerick 13 : 2 : '38

Ballina. He was then about fifty or sixty years of age. Towards the end of the century Rev John Beckett was Parish Priest of Ballinahinch and Birdhill.. He lived at Creagough where Mr. Sheehy now resides and worked at farming there as well. He died there in 1796 and was succeeded by Rev. Patrick McCarty. Father McCarty laboured in Ballynahinch and Birdhill till 1823 when he died at the age of 84. There is a tradition that this good old man met his death under suspicious circumstances. He had been called to attend a Catholic servant who was dying in Parteen House, owned by a Protestant landlord. When leaving the house the owner invited him to have a drink which the priest accepted. He died on the avenue on the way out, and the suspicion as to his sudden death rests on that proferred drink beforehand. He was taken and buried at Cragg churchyard.
Some time in the sixties Rev. John McGrath took on the work of providing a church at Birdhill. He collected funds for the purpose and his gatherings were rewarded when the present church of Birdhill was erected. It was opened for worship in 1871. The total cost was £1200.
The above was told to me by John Hassett, 74 yrs Farmer, Coosáne. Birdhill, Limerick. Michael Hassett, Coosáne, Birdhill, Limerick. 25th March 1938.

There was many a noted man in this locality for pulling tug of war but there was no man so famous as Mr Martin Unthank, Cregough, Birdhill. He won a gold cup in Ballinahinch by pulling tug of war in 1924.
In this locality there were many fast walkers none of them was able to complete with Mr James Coffey, O'Brien's Bridge. He used to walk to Nenagh a distance of seventeen miles in three hours.
There is a large stone at the back of Birdhill Village. The weight of this stone is seven cwt and there was no man ever able to lift it but Mr Martin Unthank, Cregough, Birdhill. This man often lifted this stone to his knees with ease.
There is a great river flowing down near Ballywilliam and often a terrible torrent of water rushes through this river. No man was ever able to leap it only Mr Philip Ryan Ballywilliam. He was able to leap it at its highest.
About eight years ago a man named Phil Ahern, Cragg, Birdhill, won a silver cup by pulling tug a war in Harah's field near our School.
There are many story-tellers in this locality but there is none of them to compare with Mr Martin Unthank, Cregough, Birdhill, I have often listened to him telling funny stories and ghost stories.
I was told the above by Jack Gleeson, Cregough, Birdhill, Limerick 50 yrs Farmer
Tessie Bourke, Cregough, Birdhill, Limerick. 27th January 1938.

A very serious accident occured at Birdhill Station on the 26.th of October 1918. When the train was shunting the guard of the train slipped off the carriage on the rail and was badly injured. The stationmaster wired for the Nenagh Ambulance and when it came the man was taken to hospital and died soon after going in. An inquest was held by the Coroner, Dr. Louis Courtney over the man and a verdict of accidental death was returned. The man's name was Mr. Patrick Kiely a native of Kilrush Co. Clare.
There above was also another accident at Birdhill Station on the month of December following. A fitter by the name of Harvey was running along the line to go in a train in motion. He struck his foot against a box and was pitched headlong between the train and the carriages which cut him in two.
The above was told to me by my father Michael Teefey, 54 yrs Railwayman, Coosáne, Birdhill, Limerick. Thomas Teefey Coosáne, Birdhill, Limerick.

There is one very old Mass-path in this Parish. The name of this path is Coill[?]. It is leading from Birdhill Church to the Coosáne road. For the last two hundred years a great number of people come to mass every Sunday along this path.
The place of worship for the Birdhill section of the parish was originally a Mass-house, that stood at the top of what is known as Chapel Hill near the main Limerick-Nenagh road. The Mass-House was usually a small building thatched with straw in which Mass was said for a particular district.
During the Penal Days Birdhill was usually served by the same priest who served the district of Ballinahinch. in 1704 Rev Laurence Hickey of Rossfinch was Parish Priest of Killoscully, Birdhill and

In olden times hurling was the national pastime. It was called Hurling Home. The parish of Ballina challenged the parish of Birdhill and the hurling ground was the Pollocks. The goal was from Killaloe to O'Brien's Bridge. The Ballina men to win should hurl the ball across the bridge at O'Brien's Bridge and the Birdhill men to win should hurl the ball across the bridge at Killaloe. The game started after Birdhill Mass and continued until six o'clock that evening. When the Ballina men would get a run of the ball they'd never stop until they'd hurl it to Parteen and out through the Lisheen churchyard and on to the Tinkers hill. The full forward that day was a man named

There is an old man living near my house and I often conversed with him. One night we were talking about great walkers and he told me that he walked to Nenagh in two and a half hours. His name is William Enright.
There are many weighthowers around the locality but among them all I consider Paddy Ryan of Pallasgreen Co. Limerick to be the best of them all. He won the worlds championship in America about twenty years ago.
About five miles away from our house there lives a man and his name is Michael Ryan. He is a very good runner. He ran from Gouig to Killaloe in three quarters of an hour a distance of six miles.
I know many good dancers around the locality but I consider Mr. O'Harah, Cragg to be the best of them all. He won a silver watch in a bazaar about two years ago in Ballyhane.
There is a very wide river near my house. The name of it is Cool river. The only man that was able to jump it at its widest point was John Ryan Birdhill.
There is a man in Annholty and his name is Dan Sammon. He was a great hurler. He hurled with Birdhill against the Silvermines one day in Birdhill.
There are many old story-tellers near my house. One of them is William Enright and I often heard him telling funny stories. He can tell many fairy-tales and ghost stories.
I was told the above by William Enright Coosane, Birdhill. 93 yrs.
Thomas Teefey, Coosane, Birdhill, Limerick. 27th January 1938.

Mr Twiss was the landlord over Birdhill Ballina, Cully and Lackin. He was not too bad of a landlord and he and he ruled fairly well. Birdhill pollagh was divided into small holdings between the tenants of the Twiss estate. The Twiss family as settled in the district for about sixty years. His house was burned during the civil war. When he died he buried in his own land. During his reign as landlord he often visited his tenants and if he found them eating meat he immediately raised their rents. Captain Twiss was a much better landlord to rule that his father Mr George Twiss. Captain Twiss and Lady Twiss were very kind to the poor and they gave very good wages to their servants. When Captain Twiss died his sister came from England and got possession of his estate. She remained there until the house was burned in the year 1922 then she returned to England. In a few years afterwards the estate was sold to Mr. Walters of Ballinahinch. Mr Twiss came from Kerry. The year after George Twiss began in Birdhill in possession he evicted forty families and made all large farms which we can see to day in all parts of the district. In his move he raised the rents 40% and after five years he put on 20% more and he put a heavy burden on the local farmers. All his rents should be paid on all gail days.

George Twiss was the landlord of this district. He lived in a big house near Birdhill Village. They came to Birdhill in the early fortys or in the early fiftys years. These people came from Kerry in those years. He got Birdhill property from the Ormbegs as they had no issue. The year after George Twiss had possession he evicted forty familys and made all large farms which we can see to day in all parts of the district. In his greed to make money he raised rents forty per cent on the tenants, and after an lapse of five years he put on twenty per cent more. This was a great hardship and burden on all the tenants and many of them were unable to meet the rent ? on gale day. Unless the rent was paid on gale day the people were evicted and most of the evicted tenants went to America as he would not allow any of them to settle on or near his lands. He ruled with a rod of iron until he was sixty years of age when he became a raving lunatic. Two men were employed to watch over him. His lunacy lasted for four years when he died. There was not much sorrow in the hearts of his tenants. They were proud to hear his early death.

My home district is Birdhill. Birdhill tradition tells us gets its name from an incident that happened in the dim and almost forgotten past. A hermit the story runs - lived in a cave on the side of the hill that overlooks the village.
One day a crowd of wild birds rose from some place near Killaloe, and flew in the direction of the hermit's cave. The hermit took out bow and arrow and killed one of them. Thus Birdhill got its name.
It is a small village of about sixty people and is situated on the main road between Limerick and Dublin and the train passes

These stories were told to me by Martin Ryan, Cragg, Birdhill, Limerick. 54 yrs Farmer
John Caplis, Cooleen, Birdhill. Limerick. 10: 2: '38

The greatest storm within memory of the people occured in the year 1903. It occured on the 26th February of that year. Several station-houses and signal-cabins were had their roofs torn off, the roofs and several power-houses were put out action owing to the storm breaking down the wires. The only serious accident that occured happened at Birdhill station. A train left Limerick at 8.A.M. and another train left Killaloe at 8.20.A.M. and they both met at Birdhill station. The train that came from Limerick was stationery and the train that came from Killaloe ran into it. The driver and firesman of the train were seriously injured. They were immediately taken to Limerick hospital by the train that came from Nenagh.
A severe thunderstorm occured in the 1925. It occured in the Spring of that year. It was very severe about mid Tipperary. Several people were out ploughing in the fields and in some cases the two horses under each plough were killed outright by the lightning. In other cases the ploughmen got slightly injured more or less from shock.
About six years ago there was a big flood between Tountina and Killaloe. A cloud burst over Tountina and raced headlong down the mountain carrying death and destruction in its course. It demolished a bridge between Birdhill and Killaloe. It submerged the sleepers on the Railway between Killaloe and Forthenery so much so that the train could not come back from Killaloe. In the same flood a child named Woolroof was drowned and its father had only been rescued from drowning previous to that.

There was a vast number of trees and a few houses knocked in this locality.
In the year 1837 there was the great snow, but since then we had another great fall. It was the 1st April in 1917 it started and in this locality it was five to ten feet in depth. A few cattle were lost and a great number of birds died.
The biggest rainstorm that can be remembered was in 1932. It was raining for two days and two nights with fierce thunder and lightning. There were over two hundred acres of land flooded in Birdhill.
About twenty six years ago there was one day's fierce lightning. It burned a cock of hay owned by Mr. Ryan of Coosane and killed a horse owned by Mr. O'Rourke of Cragg.
This was told to me by. John Hassett, 74 yrs Farmer Coosane, Birdhill, Limerick. Michael Hassett Coosane Birdhill Limerick.

The townsland in which our school stands is Cooleen. The meaning of this name is the little back. Due south of our school there is a townsland called Annaholty. The meaning of this name is a vast area of bogland. Near Annaholty is a townsland called Gouig. The meaning of this name is the good strip of land between two bogs. To the west of our school there is a townsland called Cragg the meaning of this name is the rocky place. Near Cragg there is a townsland called Gortnavarnoge the meaning of this name is the garden of the Young Men. Near Gortnavarnoge there is a townsland called Ballyard; the meaning of this name is an abrupt rising from Gortnavarnoge to Ballyard.
About a mile north from my school there is a townsland called Cregough. The meaning of this name is the rocky Place. In the townsland of Cregough there is rock called Carrigeen Rock in the Penal Times there was a Mass Rock near this rock. Near Cregough there is a village called Birdhill. The meaning of this name is the Hill of the Bird. The Irish of this name is Cnoć an Éinfinn which means the Hill of the Kite. About a mile due east of Birdhill there is a townsland called Ballyhane. The meaning of this name is the Way of the Birds. Due north of Ballyhane there is a townsland called Coosane. The meaning of this name is the Low Marshy Bend in the River.
The above was told to me by several men and the Teacher. Tessie Bourke, Cregough, Birdhill, Limerick. 31st March, 1938.

where he met two men carrying a coffin. They asked him to assist and in his terror he could not refuse. They trudged on through the village of Birdhill [?] past Birdhill church and up the lane to the coill graveyard which is situated in Mr. Coffeys land. When they arrived there, there were two men digging a grave and when it was finished they lowered the coffin and when they had it covered in my completed the rest of his journey homewards. That night's adventure is riveted in his memory and when he is going to Mass every Sunday he says a prayer for the unknown soul.

The old parish of Kilcomenty lay West of Kilvellane and Kilnerath and ran by the banks of the Shannon from Parteen to Banon's Island near the old outlet of Cool River (before it was diverted during the Shannon Scheme operations).
St. Comenath's Church at Cragg was the Parish Church originally. Later a Mass House was built at the top of the hill overhead the present Church at Birdhill. The existence in this parish of a townland called Killeen, about a mile south of the Church of St. Comenath would seem to indicate that there was a little Church, or Mass House, there also but no trace of it can be found.
During the Penal Days, Kilcomenty was usually served by the same priest who served the district of Ballinahinch, and in 1704 we find Rev. Laurence Hickey of Rossfinch, Parish Priest of Killoscully, Kilcomenty and Ballina. he was then 54 yeas of age. Towards the end of the century Rev John Beckett was Parish Priest of Ballinahinch and Birdhill. He lived at Creggagh (where Mr. J Sheehy, Co. C., now resides)
and worked a farm there as well. He died there in 1796 and was succeeded by Rev. Patrick McCarty. Father McCarty laboured in Ballinahinch and Birdhill, till 1823, when he died at the age of 84.

sky or a "Macarel" sky as it is called is a sign of bad weather. When the stars are very numerous in the sky at night is a sure sign of frost. When the sky is very red it is a sign of wind. When the cat scratches the leg of the chair it is a sign of wind. When she turns her back to the fire it is a sign of rain. The cat usually only washes her face but when she washes behind her ears it is a sign of fine weather. Birdhill is a small railway station about three miles from Ballina. When the train can be heard in Ballina from Birdhill it is a sure sign of rain.

The land Lord who ruled over the Birdhill area, was "Mr Twiss". A very hard man he was, he made every one pay a very high rent, so high was it that many people had to leave homes and to go out on hire, such people were called "spalpeens".
If a person was seen with a nbew coat or dress in those days, the rent was sure to be raised, one or two pounds. "Mr. Twiss" lived overlooking Birdhill, in a huge mansion; he had four thousand acres of land and he employed two or three hundred servants.

to an hospital in Tipperary and he died in a few days later.
There was a great snow fall in the year 1850. In some places it was up to 10 feet in depth. There were hundreds of cattle and sheep lost in the snow. It was on the ground for a fortnight.
In the year 1932 there was a terrible rain storm. It was raining for two days and two nights. There was up to eighty acres of meadowing flooded in Birdhill. There was a child named Wollroof drowned near Killaloe on that day.
About 25 years ago there was a severe thunder storm. There were great flashes of lightning and heavy claps of thunder going also. The lightning killed a horse belonging to Mr O'Rourke and it burnt a cock of hay belonging to Mr Ryan of Coosane.
The above was told to me by my father Martin Gleeson, 60 yrs farmer Birdhill Limerick. Ned Gleeson Lackin Birdhill Limerick.
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