faintest idea as to how it got its name and it is a question which puzzles both residents and strangers. Only one resident is over 70 years. She has a few English stories, but not a word of Irish. Mrs Regan, Boston Rathangan, is her name and address. Boston was covered with little homesteads long ago. Only the traces of some old homes now remains. There was not any land attached to these houses. In most cases there was not even the smallest garden attached. The old houses were, one and two roomed, and thatched, and occupied by labourers. Old names & families once familiar in Boston have entirely died out. Some stories claim that Boston was peopled in this way. The Canal nearby, or the River alongside it was being cleared and a great Work Scheme was in progress. Labourers from all over Ireland flocked to the scene, some "Undesirables" swelled the crowd. Boston was then a Commons, as some of it still is. The strangers fixed up little huts and homes on the edge of the Commons, and soon a big population, very porr, peopled Boston. As years went by several people went to America, work being scarce. The land is hilly

and rocky. Its soil is sandy but productive. It has neither wood stream or lake. In a dry season water is very very scarce. People go to the bogs, and to the "Supply" which runs into the Canal, for water. Wells dry up, and most of the pumps give out. The pump on Boston hill has very bad water. There are two quarries in Boston now out of use, but indeed Boston was once famous for its "cut stone". On the outskirts of the village there are sand pits, or gravel pits in plenty. The Hill of Boston is thickly covered with furze and most of the townsland is equally divided amongst grazing & tillage except the Hill itself, which is entirely grazed. Small Farmers make up the population. The names are Clintons, Crannelly, Regan, Carty, and McGuiness, and Corcoran, Cullen, & Archebold.

This was the first new bell consecrated by his Grace the Archbishop in the Diocese of Dublin. The ceremony was on 3rd November 1889. Amongst those present were - The Right Rev. Monsignor Fitzpatrick, P.P, D.D.V.G., then president of Holy Cross College, Clonliffe; the Venerable Dean Walsh, P.P V.G., Kingsotwn; Very Rev. R Nagle, Chancellor of the Diocese of Massachusetts, Boston; Rev. M.F.Flatley, Boston; Rev. J.J. Nulty, Boston, and the right Rev. Dr. Browne Bishop of Cloyne, the President

Redhills fort is known as Boston fort because the man who owned it was in America.

My home district is Boston. It is in the parish of Rathangan, and in the Barony of East Offaly. There are five families living in Boston. Two houses are thatched, one slated and two sheet ironed. No one has the

Hidden Treasure
Many years ago, an old man named Brennan live dint he field behind Regan's house, which is on the South side of Boston road and very near the school of Boston. He hid a box of money in a ditch behind his house. It was never found. even though many people looked for it. About forty years ago, a farmer named Cribben who lived in the district got a letter from a foreign country some say Spain. and other Australia, telling him there was a great treasure somewhere in Feighcullen or Boston/
The writer stated he was in prison, and asked for money to take himself and his daughter to Ireland. He said he would show him where the treasure was in return. A priest advised Cribben not to pay any attention to the story and Mr Cribben did not send any money.

Story
A man from this district once went to Australia As an old man he returned, and came to Newbridge by train. He stayed there in a hotel. For a few nights and then he decided to visit Rathangar to see some friends. He had forgotten the direct road and took across the fields. He travelled through hills + hollows fields and boreens and at nightfall arrived in Boston. He inquired the nearest way to Rathangar off the first person he met and then casually asked where he then was. To his surprise he was in BOSTON. "Oh" exclaimed he, "as tired as I am, and as long as I am journeying I can scarcely believe I have reached Boston and America so quickly."

special Commission for complicity in the "Fenian movement" and special stress was laid on the fact that they were captured in open revolt against the forces of the Crown. They were convicted of treason and were sentenced to 15 years Penal Servitude. In a few years time a general amnesty was granted to the Fenian prisoners on the explicit condition that they would leave the Queens Dominions. So Kelly was restored to liberty, and both returned to the land of the Stars and Stripes seeing for the time at least, that there was no prospect of a successful rising. Kelly died in the early eighties of the last century in the city of "Boston," a respected citizen in the great Western Republic, who was a credit to the community. A splendid monument was erected to his memory and this was unveiled in November 1884 by the silver tongued orator "John Boyle OReilly" Editor of the "Boston Pilot" one of the noblest and most lovable characters that ever adorned the life of the Republic, and the man who shed luster on his race and nation.

There was an old school in Boston. It was in Patrick Dunne's farm.

Gleann na Raca is the name of a field where two men lived & they had a recehorse by the name of Gleann na Raca & he won a race & they called the field after him.
Woodquarter was like a little village there was a lot of houses in it but they are all knocked now. Boston is a well, there was a man living by the name of Boston & that is how it got its name.

to the other side and become "Rabbits" When the person calls out "Rabbits" they have to run back to a certain place, and the "Rats" run after them and try to catch them.
"Hounds and Hares" is the game most popular with the boys. One or more of them starts off running through the fields. The remainder of the players allows him to get away a certain distance before they begin to run after him.
Whoever catches the "Hare" then has to become the "Hare" himself.
At night children amuse themselves by playing games such as "Hiding the Thimble", "I sent a Ship to Boston", or "I Spy".
When playing "I sent a Ship to Boston" the players have a ball. One of them throws the ball to someone else, saying, "I sent a ship to Boston, laden with L," or any

On the border between the parishes of Denn and Lavey in the country of Cavan along the Boston road is situated a holy well. Tradition relates that in the penal times a priest was saying mass at the foot of Slisbh Glah, when to his surprise the soldiers burst into the Glen and captured him. On reaching the Boston road the priest feeling very thirsty asked the soldiers for a drink but they refused it to him. The priest then asked leave to put his stole round his neck. The request was granted. The priest did so and struck the road with his heel. No sooner had he done so than a spring burst up at his feet. The soldiers were amazed and let the priest take a drink. The soldiers led on their captive and they were never heard of more. Later the well was removed to the road- side.

This parish of Aghabullogue is noted for athletic men in every sphere. Tradition has it that Aghabullogue was never without a hurler, a bowl player or a weight thrower. There was a man named Daniel Cronin of Dromatimore who won the weight throwing competition of Boston. He was the strongest man in Boston at that time.
Other famous weight throwers were David and John Buckley, Rylane. Jeremiah Murphy, Knockrow, known locally as 'big Jer'. Michael Healy of Clonmoyle known as "bun crainn".
Patrick Reardon of Aghavrin one of the old Aghabullogue hurlers often

Some of them used be held in the country but the most of them used be held in the towns. Fairs are not always held in the towns and even yet some of them are held in the country. There is a field in Turloughmore Boston, called Páirc and Aonaith because there used be a fair held there every year on June 9th up to about 30 years ago.
The buyers used go from house to house long ago and even yet when there is a good demand for cattle, they go to the houses buying them.
Long ago there used be fairs in places in which there are no fairs now for example Turloughmore Boston Co Clare. The fairs fell away in country places, because they were too far away from railway stations. In some towns there is a special

used to make little poems in the school. In after years he went to Boston and became the editor of a paper called the Boston Pilot. He never forgot Ireland and he came back and entered the school of his youth and he made that lovely piece of poetry called the old school clock.
John Gallagher is living in Slane at present. He makes poetry about fairys sitting under bushes and so on. The poets wrote their poems in English. They did not compete with one another as they did not live at the same time. When they would be going along and they would see something strange they would think of making a piece of poetry.

east and west until he came to Boston town. He asked a man did he see his daughter and he said that he bought a girl off a man from Limerick town. The lord gave a big reward to the man and afterwards they married

He is now living in Boston. He was one of the best bowlers in County Cork. Mr Tim Keating was born in Kilnagospogh, Aughadown Skibbereen. He often threw a bowl of about twenty eight ounces over one hundred and eighty yards. He could loft a twenty eight ounce bowl abut eighty or a hundred yards.

Dromatimore who won the weight-throwing competition of Boston. He was the strongest man in Boston at that time. There were several others there also. Their names were David and John Buckley of Rylane. Jeremiah Murphy of Knockrour who was locally known as "big Jer". Michael Healy of Clonmoyle known as "bun crainn".
Patrick Riordan of Aghavrin one of the old Aghabullogue hurlers often ran to Cork after a sidecar which is a distance of about sixteen miles. There was another great runner named Jeremiah O'Sullivan of Clonmoyle a member of the old Aghabullogue hurlers. He won a race of twenty miles among thirty competitors. There were several Great Walkers who used walk from Aghabullogue to Cork with a load of hay. They used go in, in about four hours. The women would do it also.
There was a great jumper named David Buckley (son of David Buckley the weight thrower) who used jump six feet one and a half inches. Another long distance runner was James Buckley of Kilcolman. He won races locally in Wales and in America. Thomas Healy

na cúig curcáin mhóra prátaí agus an croiceann ortha. Do deánfadh an méid sin biadh coighchidhse do Sheán. In dhiaidh sin cuaidh sé féin agus a bhean agus beirt inghean go Learpholl agus bhí tig bhreág aige ann. Bhí fear láidir eile ins na Ródaibh darbh ainm Pádraigh Ó Cobthaig ach tá sé beó fós; an "Yank" a tugtar air mar bhí sé in America leis a dhearbrathár dob fhédir leis cúig ceád meadhchaint do thógáil dob é an fear ba láidre in America an uair sin. I Boston do bhíodh sé san tigh a marbhuightear beithidheagh, ceathramhadh do beithidhigh (?) dob eadh an meadhchaint.

To go in and dance the girls that would be married. Then that crowd would go and another crowd come in and dance the girls if there were a crowd dancing they would stand back and let the straw boys dance with the girls. The straw boys are carried on up in Boston yet. Marry in harvest and you are lossened in Spring. Mr. Patrick Halpin, Knockjames, Tulla, Co. Clare.