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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. Ruins of Ballykelly Castle

    CBÉS 0585

    Page 257

    In the townland of Ballykelly in the parish of Broadford in the barony of Lower Tulla and in the County of Clare, the ruins of a castle which was built by the McNamara clan about one thousand years ago stands. It is said that this castle was inhabited up to about one hundred years by their descendants. It was attacked by their enemies and knocked and the highest wall standing at present is only about twelve feet high. The McDonnells of Broadford lived behind this castle recently.

  2. Holy Wells in Kilbane Parish

    CBÉS 0587

    Page 180

    The approach to the well has been improved and the divisions between the sections more definitely marked. This was done by voluntary labour. Shelves for offerings have been made and kneeling boards provided. The pilgrimage has been revived and large crowds did the rounds on the feast day.
    1) Holy well at Blackhill, Broadford, Co. Clare
    2) Cromlich at Fermoyle, Broadford
    3) Mass rock at Kilokennedy, Broadford

  3. Fairs

    CBÉS 0588C

    Page 02_012

    Fairs are very plentiful now. Long ago there were only a few fairs. The people would come into the fields and buy the cattle. There were no factories then and in the towns nearby the people would take the pigs and cattle to sell.
    There are fairs every month now in Tulla and Scariff and twice a year in Broadford. Long ago there were big fairs in Broadford and now there is a small fair twice a year in it. There are factories now in all the cities. The people take the pigs to the factories and sell them. There is a fair-green in Broadford and every place that fairs are held. Long ago there were no fair-greens

  4. Care of Our Farm Animals

    CBÉS 0367

    Page 196

    mixed with milk to eat. They are left in the stable at night in the winter.
    There is a story told about a mare who ate loaf, bread and drank porter. The horse was down near Broadford. She knew every public house in Broadford. When she passed through the street she would go into the public houses, and she would kick and would not go out unless she would get a pint of porter, and a loaf of bread.

  5. (no title)

    “My house is built in the townland of Knockgloss....”

    CBÉS 0490

    Page 085

    slate was got there long ago and a few houses in Broadford were roofed with the slate which was quarried in Glean bog.

  6. (no title)

    “My grandfather was a famous athlete, who won several prizes.”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 024

    He won a suit of clothes at sports in Morris Cremin's field. He went to Strand once and he won a horse's saddle and whip for high jumps. Those he gave to his favourite friend. This man used to drive him around from place to place. He won a gold watch and chain in Knocklong for running. He went to Cork and won a silver set. He won a clock in Ballygran for long jump. He won a clock in England once for running. Before he left Ireland he ate a good feed of potatoes, bacon and cabbage. When he came home he ran from Broadford to Charleville barefooted to meet the train and he was late, then he ran from Broadford to Killmalock and won a race afterwards. He died at the age of 34 in the year 1909.

  7. (no title)

    “There once lived in Broadford a cooper named William Mc Glynn...”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 035

    There once lied in Broadford a cooper named William Mc Glynn and he was also a butcher on a small scale. Many is the story he told at the farmers' houses when he was there killing the pigs. Before he came to Broadford he spent some time in England and many adventures he had when he was there. One one occasion he was in the upper storey of a house and got into some row with the people of the house. He was pushed out the window getting a fall of some 26' to the ground. His landlady was surprised to meet him the following morning. She asked him how he was, "I am alright" said William," but that is a very high step you have to your door.

  8. Parish of Broadford

    CBÉS 0585

    Page 266

    Parish of Broadford
    I live in the village of Broadford in the barony of Lower Tulla and in the County of Clare. The population of this parish is about eleven hundred. The families most common are the Moloney, Moroney, and the McNamara families. It is a mountainous parish, the Siab Bearna mountains are at the north, running from east to west.
    This parish was more largely populated about sixty years before as they emigrated to America and other countries. At present there are only about six people living over seventy years.
    The river O'Garney flows through it and into Doon lake which is about one mile from the village. The parish of Broadford got its name from the broad ford at the entrance of the village.

  9. Cromlech in Fermoyle Broadford Co Clare

    CBÉS 0587

    Page 189

    There is a large cromlech situated in the townland of Fermoyle Broadford. It is known locally as the "Giant's Grave." It is situated in Shanahan's farm about 300 yards from the main road between Broadford and OBrien's Bridge. The covering slab which faces towards the east and which is inclined at an angle of about 15 degrees is supported by four stone pillars. The slab is about 7 feet long and avaries in width from 6 feet at the wider end to 4 feet at the narrower. The supporting pillars are about 4 1/2 feet in circumference. There are some parallel lines on the slab which may be Ogham.

  10. My Own Townland

    CBÉS 0490

    Page 110

    My own townland is Mount Plummer. My house is situated at the northern side of it. The meaning of the word is “the hill of the Plummers”. It is a very hilly district. It is in the parish of Broadford and in the Co. Limerick. It is three miles from Broadford and a mile and a half from this school. About six miles north of my house is the ruin of St Ita’s school in Kileedy.
    The Plummers were people sent to Ireland and appointed as landlords of the district. They were not very kind to the tenants because if anyone in the

  11. (no title)

    “Long ago there lived behind Broadford a man name William Brosnan who was going to a fair.”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 009

    Long ago there lived behind Broadford a man named William Brosnan who was going to a fair. The night before his boots were polished and he went to bed early. During the night he was taken to Knaw-Hill to cast a stone with an other man.
    The other man was wining but at the last time a friend of his was amongst the crowd, and she threw a handkerchief on the ground. The man from Broadford stood to it as a mark and he threw the stone the farthest. He was taken home again and in the morning his two knees were cut and his boots were all

  12. (no title)

    “My townland is called Farrihy, which means watching.”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 049

    land - The land is dry and hilly.
    hill - There is a hill called "Cnoc-na-gCarn" north of the townland which has high ground.
    well - There is a well called "Tobar-na-n-Dinseach" because a foolish woman lived near it long ago.
    forts - There are two forts in Farrihy. There is a good view of Broadford from Broadford.

  13. Forts

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 122

    Forts are very plentiful in this district. There is scarcely a farm in which there is not a fort of some kind to be found. In some cases they are called after the person in whose farm they stand as for example "Cussen's Fort" (now Pierce's) situated at Banemore, "Stack's Fort", in Farrihy, "Grogan's Fort" also in the same townland. In some cases they give the name or part of the name to the townland as "Lis na Fulla", "the Fort of the Blood" a mile and a half to the west of Broadford. "Rath-Palatine" about a mile to the north of Broadford, and in the parish of Mahoonagh "Springfield Fort" situated beside the dairy house in Springfield.
    Most of these forts are circular in shape, have steep earthen banks, and are partialy surrounded by water. Great, tall, thick hedges grow on the banks. People do not like to interfere with them, or cut down trees or bushes growing in them.
    There is a story told of a man who lived, not so long ago, near Ballinuiske who interfered with a fort in his farm. The man himself went crazy, his wife fell

  14. The Local Roads

    CBÉS 0497

    Page 262

    same time, know as the Ballinlorrig line. It was left without repair for a long time, and it was only in recent years it was repaired by the County Council. There is also a part of an old road from Dromcollogher to Broadford to be seen adjacent to the Ballinlorrig line. The route of this road was commencing at Dan Ryan's cottage at the other side of the road, it went up by the boundary of Mrs Lenords farm, and crosses teh present road near Mrs Rudy's cottage, and on by Springfield, and it came out at the entrance to Broadford village near Mr Mulcahy's cottage.
    There is only one ford in Bamgrane river, it is made of very large stones in which persons were able to step across in the time of floods. There are some large stones in the river Deel these seem to be used for persons to cross the river also.

  15. Local Bravery

    CBÉS 0585

    Page 256

    In 1798, when the North Cork Militia were in force they visited the village of Broadford and asked a brave man named Mr. Barron to give them information as to where pikes and ammunition were hidden. He refused to inform them and to have revenge they brought him up to the chapel gate and stripped him. Then they tied him naked to an ass car and flogged him through the village of Broadford until they brought the skin off his back. His patriotic sister walked by his side and gave him courage not to reveal the secret or not to be looked upon as a traitor.
    After being flogged through the village four times he was set free and though cruelly flogged and terribly wounded lived for about a year after. He was a grandfather of the late Edward Barron whose death occurred about fifteen years ago.

  16. Local Patron Saint

    CBÉS 0586

    Page 292

    St. Seili is the patron saint of Kilbane which is situated in the parish of Broadford. There is a holy well dedicated to him in the parish of Broadford at Black Hill. It is situated about two miles from Kilbane, St. Seili blessed it long ago. People visit it on the 6th March and on the 15th August. If you say the rosary and drink the water three times you will get any request you ask for.
    There is a story told about the well. Long ago there lived a blind man who had a dream that if he washed his eyes in a well beside which

  17. Local Place Names

    CBÉS 0350

    Page 340

    Dalton was coming from Broadford and he had a jennit and car. He was coming along a bog road and he strayed off the road and he was not found for three or four days. When he was found, himself and the animal were dead. Leahy who lived in Brosna was coming from the Co. Limerick and he got fatigued and laid down to rest, he was hungry, and before he was found he was dead in the middle of the hill.

  18. (no title)

    “There lived a man near Broadford named Jack Barry who used to go to Newcastle very often.”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 008

    There lived a man near Broadford named Jack Barry who used to go to Newcastle very often. He had a great donkey which he loved very much. This day he neared home and he struck against a cow-house from which he said he carried the latter home with him, and nine cows. Not many days after, the donkey was

  19. (no title)

    “Long ago there lived a man near Broadford named Bat Brennan.”

    CBÉS 0491

    Page 034

    Long ago, there lived a man near Broadford named Bat Brennan. He was noted as a great cooper and made churns, keelers and firkins. He sold the firkins to the farmers in which they sent their butter to Cork markets. The farmers bought the keelers and firkins also. Churns were made to make their butter as there were no creameries in the country at that time.
    Long ago the people had dairies attached to their houses. They bought these firkins and filled them with milk and put them on stelling and they were left there for three days. When there was cream on it, it was skimmed and then it was churned and made into butter. He got great demand for them because all the farmers had them. He made his living from this trade.
    David Bucke
    Curramore
    Broadford