There are five forges in the parish of Cloyne – Ned Mahony’s of Ballinvoher, Michael Iver’s of Churchtown, Michael Savage’s of Ballygeaney, John Rigney’s of Cloyne and Dick Kennefick’s of Shanagarry.The forge in Cloyne is forty-two years old. It was once a dwelling house and this man Rigney bought it and he converted it into a forge. It is situated about one hundred and twenty yards from Cloyne on the road to Ballycotton.There is a slated roof on it. It has two doors – one to the back and one to the front. The door to the back is in one piece and the one to the front is in two halves. There is one fireplace in it which is built on a hob and there is one bellows also. The bellows is on a stand in a little room at the back of the forge. The bellows were made in Cork. In front of the fireplace there is an anvil on a block of timber. There are two benches in it. One is facing the road and the other is near the hob. The part of the floor where the horses stand is made of planks and the rest of it is earthen.

Long ago a fox was walking in the strand to see what he could find. He was licking around a rock where a bairneach was loose . The fox put his tongue under the bairneach and the bairneach squeezed the tongue and held him there until the tide came in and drowned him. There is a graveyard in Ballinacounty and at one time the Protestants built a church inside in the middle of it. The Catholics were very annoyed. One night all the Catholics of the parish gathered together and took it wholesale away and there was no stone seen since or a board. Many years after an old man a native of the place was cutting turf in the bog near by, found the bell of the Protestants church. He gave the bell to the landlord and he had to pay no rent that that year. Long ago there lived a man in the parish of Ballinvoher. One night he was going to Tralee. He started out at twelve o clock and about a mile from his home he saw two women on the road. They walked quickly before

and tailors worked in it.In Ballycana were two shops belonging to two MacNamara cousins and near Culhane's cross, there was a public house. Hamnantan lived in it, and kept a large room for dancers who frequented the place generally. Opposite the house there was a ball alley, where long ago hand ball was a prominent game. The losing people had to stand a drink to their contestants when the game was completed.Mrs. Gallagher of Ballinvoher had a shop about seventy years ago. It revived and after a few years, and is now discontinued. Mr. James MacKnight started a shop about a hundred years ago, and his son still carries on the business.A man came round every Saturday with tea to supply the shops. He was called the "tea man". Long ago purchases were made after mass, and sometimes work was given as payment. Rag dealers and hucksters went from house to house in the district, and bought up rags. Many names are given to the different coins - a pound is called a "quid", the shilling s "bob" the sixpence a "tanner"

In my fathers farm a treasure is supposed to be hidden. It was placed there by the Danes in the year 1777. It is a pot of gold within an inch of being full.
An old woman was put in charge of it with teeth as long as harrow pins. For the past twenty years this old woman has no longer charge of it.
About fifty years ago three men made an attempt to unearth it but did not succeed in securing it. These were Mr Ned Holland of Ballinvoher, Mr James Moran N. J. Mr John Shaughnessy Countbrown all deceased. They first went to a fortune teller at the Jerry Bridge by the name of "Biddy Earley". She told them that they were not to talk while they were looking for it.
They spent three days and three nights searching for it and then one man struck a flat stone and said "I have it". On removing the stone, a crock was found but it contained only stones. They they went "Biddy Earley" again. She sad they would never get it if they

About thirty years ago a man named Patrick Sheehy of Mitchelstown got drowned at Beigh Castle. His son John and John O'Shaughnessy of Ballinvoher went out for a cot of seaweed. They brought it in near the quay. Then they tied it to a big boat and came to the land in a smaller one. In the meantime Patrick Sheehy had come to O' Shaughnessy's house. When the two other men arrived he asked if they had made the seaweed safe. They replied in the affirmative. Then he said that a storm was likely to blow. All three went down to the quay and out in the small boat. John Sheehy and John O'Shaughnessy went into the big boat. The old man put down the oar to see if the water was deep. He over-balanced in the boat and fell out. Soon after he came up from under the water. The big boat was swaying hither and thither and struck him on the head and killed him. In a short time after the body was found. It was taken to his son's house in Issane. An inquest was held and a verdict of accidental drowning was returned. Next day the remains were buried in Askeaton Abbey.Pina Holland,
Gurthnagranaher.From: John Holland, 60 yrs
Moig.

In the cold dark winter night
When the hearth-stone was swept so clean and neat
And the big turf fire was bright.Ah! tell me about the road to the Quay
Are there many changes there?
In fancy now I can plainly see
The distant hills of Clare
I can see every twist in the old green lane
That led to the Shannon shore,
Oh! would I could visit those scenes again
I loved in the days of yore.Written by Mr Patrick Moran (now residing in Miltown)
Words supplied by Jack Hayes, Ballysteen Post Office.
Also by Muriel Fitzgerald, Ballinvoher (grand-neice)

(7) When the flagstones of a house are damp and the walls weep.
(8) When the frog has a black coat.
(9) When the wild geese fly from North to South.
(10) When the crows perch on the road.The following are the signs of wind.(1) When you see the crows tumbling.
(2) When the cat scratches the trees with its claws.
(3) When the pig gathers straws in his mouth.The following are the signs of broken weather.(1) When you hear the tide roaring at Ballinvoher Point near Beigh Castle.
(2) When the Fiolawns (Na Faoileain) come inland and follow the ploughman up and down the furrow.25th November.

Yet, tho' this castle kingly stands
For years of grimly daring
The spoilers' conquering merciless hands
Its hardest rocks are wearing
And when its ruins will strew the side
Of noble Shannon's river
The mighty, grand, unerring tide
Will roll as fresh as ever.But, oh! who rules the punctual tide
That oft so madly rages,
That has the hands of time defied
Throughout the countless ages?
Tis He who made earth, sea and sky
And stirs and calms the ocean
Tis He who governs from on high
And guides each ordered motion.
Written by Mr James Moran, deceased.
Words supplied by Muriel Fitzgerald (great grand-daughter) Ballinvoher