by a large body of police on a crowd at the Herbertstown evictions in 1887.

Father Matt Ryan's Fights for the tenantry of Herbertstown from 1886.
About fifty years ago Father Matt Ryan, then a curate in Herbertstown, Co. Limerick, was the dominant figure in the struggle against an unjust landlordism. His association with the tenantry in the "Plan of Campaign" resulted in his being called to the Bankruptcy Court to give evidence against one of the tenants. Father Matt refused to reveal confidences between him and the tenants and, for contempt of county, was sentenced to two months' imprisonment.
His refusal to betray the tenantry and his punishment in a prison cell stirred the heart of the country. His release and his journey home was a veritable triumphal march. He was met on all sides by cheering crowds and popular opinion named him "The General" of the Land War.
Some months later he was again sentenced to one month's imprisonment in Limerick Gaol in respect of a speech made at Caherconlish. In 1886 when Father Matt was curate in the joint parish of Hospital and Herbertstown the farmers had a very bad season, the land failing to produce more than half of its normal yield of crops, and a number of the tenants on the O'Grady estate refused to pay rent without getting an abatement of forty per cent. One of the tenants named Thomas Moroney, Herbertstown was made a bankrupt, Father Matt was summoned to attend at the Bankruptcy Court before Judge Boyd [Sir Walter Boyd, 1st Baronet]. On his arrival at the Kingsbridge station [modern Dublin Heuston] he was met

Long ago there was a castle in a field now owned by Thomas Barry of Kyle, Herbertstown called "The castle of the house field". Every feast day long ago the people that were living in the castle used to send messages to the gentry living far away to come for a feast. When they would come they used to tell the coach drivers to go away and when they were gone they would kill the gentry and bury them at Barry's Hill or Herbertstown Hill.

This bush is situated beside the road near the entrance to Herbertstown house. At the foot of the bush is a grave. It is said that a man named Brunton is buried here. Some say he rolls around a barrel while others say he rides around Herbertstown on a white horse.

also proceeded to Herbertstown to await orders. It was rather difficult for the military and police to reach Herbertstown village as numerous trees were felled on the various roads leading to the village. It was necessary for those approaching the scene of the evictions to travel through fields and over walls and ditches. The soldiers were arrayed in their war-kits. Nearly all of them were armed with rifles, and others of them had bayonets drawn, these bayonets being strapped to their wrists. The military and police were encamped for some time at Kilballyowen which is situated between Knockaney and Herbertstown.

About firty years ago, there used to be two fairs held at the north-west of the village of Herbertstown in the "Fair Green". One on the 12th of January, and on the 17th of March. There used to be toll paid on the cattle according to size at each of the five cross roads leading to the village. Buyers came from Cork, Limerick, and Dublin, to buy these. The buyers were kept in the houses, and there used to be great excitement in the village preparing for the buyers, (boiling hams and baking) There were two tents erected at the top of the street for the purpose of selling sweets, apples and oranges. All the young ladies of Herbertstown came to the tents on that day for the young men to give them their "Féirin" as it was called. Mr Thomas Moroney was the barron of Fair. (who spent a period in prison at the time of the Plan of Campaign) At the time of the Plan of Campaign they were discontinued, because the people were evicted and they had not cattle to sell, But after they had got back their lands the fairs were held only once more, because the buyers considered the fair place too far from a railway station to take the animals home. It was a great loss to the people of Herbertstown that the fairs were discontinued because they were very successful

5. HerbertstownHerbertstown or Ballinard means the town of the height. The old church has completely disappeared but the old graveyard is still used. North of the graveyard was Ballinard castle owned by the Fitzgeralds but there is no trace of it now. The last of the Fitzgeralds was mayor of Limerick in seventeen eighty six. In eighteen forty one the area was one thousand four hundred and forty one acres and had the population nine hundred and eighteen. There were two hedge schools and there were ninety five pupils attending each school. The church was erected there in eighteen thirty six at a cost of eight hundred pounds.

Mr Jas Long Clogherviller (Cloch-an-Fhiolair) Herbertstown states that one of the old roads ran from near Sarsfield's Rock.Its rout was Longstone - through Barna - thro' Old Pallas village by Cnoc Gréine to Ballinagally Ballyphilip turning to the left at Bohernarinke (Bóthar na Rinnce) also called Knocknafásck Cnoc na Fáisge leaving Wanderhill to the right and coming out at Kildromin Cross and thence to Herbertstown village by Cros-na-Seana Ceárdhcan and arriving on the northern end of the village and then continuing by the fair-Green to Cleary's Cross across the Camogue River at Clais (?)-na-Soun and on through Mohane Knockbolg, Loughgur Cross by Carriganeithig, Teampull Nuad to Holy Cross (Ballynagall (?) by Rockbarton and on to Croon. This old road leading by these (?) places was called Cromwell's road. People living on the byeway (?) near this road had to bring anything they wanted conveyed by road had to bring it on their backs to this road and men (?) used to earn money by helping horses with heavy loads up these steep hills. It is remarkable the number of steep hills on this road. Another old road is the road which meets this road at Cros-na-Ceárdhcan or Cros-no-Seana- Ceárdhcan. This road then goes trough Cloch-an-Fhiolair (Clogherviller) Rathjordan, Tantore - Boheracip - Mountminnett by the Glen Ballybrood - Killeagh- Nickessa - Gorthmuck - Kilmurray - Moigh - one branch to Dromkeen and another to Grange Cross

There is a hill at the north-west side of the village It is owned by Mr. O'Donoghue, but at that time it was owned by Mr. Thomas Moroney. The hill was called the "Fair Green" There was fair held twice a year on the hill, one on the 12th of January, and on the 17th of March. There are no fairs held now.About fifty years ago, the people of Herbertstown refused to pay their rents until they got a reduction Many of the people were evicted. On this hill many meetings were held, and the late Rev. Father Ryan of Knockavilla, Co Tipperary, (who was at that time curate in Herbertstown Parish) advised the tenants to adopt the "Plan of Campaign" and he called the hill "Campaign Hill"). At that time it was an open common, but now it is surrounded by a wall, and the place is private.

There is a castle in Cahercorney in the parish of Herbertstown, in Co Limerick. It is situated on the left bank of the river "Camóg" and about twenty yards in from the main roads which joins Herbertstown and LImerick.
This castle was built by James Raleigh, uncle of the famous Siur Walter Raleigh (who brought the first potato from America to Ireland, and who got an estate from Queen Elizabeth (1558 - 1603) about Youghal, Co Cork.) James Raleigh built a spacious castellated mansion in Raleighstown. (I have been told, that this was not completed because the builder had not enough of money to complete it). The remains are still to be seen. Mrs Eileen Raleigh, the wife of the late Richard Raleigh, and her sons lived in Raleighstown for a number of years.
Edward Raleigh of Raleighstown fought a duel with Richard Raleigh of Kilballyowen and he cut off his arm. There are no Raleighs living in Raleighstown now.

There are five graveyards in the parish of Herbertstown, namely. Baile-an-Áird (Ballinard). Cathair-Cóirne (Cahercorney). Cill-Chathlainn (Kilcullane). Baile-na-Móna (Ballinamona). and Óspuidéal (Hospital). Kilcullane is a disused graveyard, but the others are still in use. There is an old disused graveyard in Mr. P.K. Hogan's farm in Rathjordan.
Ballinard Graveyard is situated in Mr. Tom Barry's farm, about a half-mile south-east of the village of Herbertstown in the Co. Limerick, It is a bleak poor miserable spot. It is almost square in shape, and slopes towards the bog. There are no large trees growing in it, but a few shrubs were planted round it a couple of years ago. In ancient

There is a well in Mr. William Condon's farm, in the parish of Herbertstown, in the Co. Limerick. This well is called "Tobar Chilleán." It is about a quarter-of-a-mile South-West of the village of Herbertstown. It is about a hundred yards in from the main road from Hospital to Limerickk. If any-one went near the well, and said: "Tobar Chilleán boil up; boil up," the water would boil up. It is a very clear spring well, and it is very deep.
There are a few sticks around the well, and grass grows around it.

There was a hedge school at Ballafore. School was held in an old shed in which an ass was stabled at night. The first children to arrive in the morning had to clean the school. School was taught by a man named Billy Garry. The children brought a sod of turf or a bundle of brosno for the fire. There was also a charge of a penny a week for those who could afford it. James Connell of Herbertstown (aged 87) attended the school. When he afterwards went to Gehanstown National School the inspector once told him that he was well taught and that his teacher was a scholar. The master Billy Garry took all the questions from his head. Questions such as "If I came from Drogheda which is 25 miles in a coach the circumferences of whose wheels are so much how many revolutions does each wheel make". He used one reader called the "Universal", and whoever passed the book was well fitted for the world. There were a few maps and one blackboard in the school. Irish was not taught but the old people all spoke Irish.Told by James Connell Herbertstown Clonmellon

In Kilcullane which is about one mile from Herbertstown there is an old graveyard but this was a large dwelling in the year 1650. The Penal Laws were now in force especially against priests. At this time a priest was at this time hiding in a near by wood. The "Red Coats" were at the same time searching Herbertstown for priests.A spy visited the soldiers and told them that he would bring them the priest if they gave him ₤100. The soldiers were delighted and offered him the money. The spy set out on his journey to catch the priest but all in vain. The soldiers also set after him but were unable to catch him. At the same time there lived a man in the house which is now the graveyard. The poor priest was constantly saying Mass in the woods and bogs of Kilcullane while a priest price was on his head. The spy at once hearing of this and he found out that the priest was to be visiting a dying person in the neighbourhood and also saying Mass in a nearby shed. The spy brought the soldiers on the priests and just as Fr. Burke was at the Consecration the "Red Coats" came upon him.They took him to the house of the cruel man and tried to hang him from trees. A chain was tied round his neck but it broke every time they tried to hang him. They then tried to hang him with a rope but this also broke. Fr. Burke took a Chalice from his clothes which he had concealed in his clothes. He exhibited the 'Blessed Host' before the soldiers and began to pray. The soldiers were astonished at what Fr. Burke had done. The priest then spoke and uttered, "Get a silk thread and hang me", The soldiers found the

by a vast concourse of people and from the station to his hotel he was cheered to the echo. A crowd of people estimated at thirty thousand congregated outside his hotel.When the Court proceeding took place next day Father Ryan was questioned as to whether he had received any money from Thos. Moroney Herbertstown on or from 1st Nov 1886. He refused to betray any confidences placed in him. Some of the O'Grady tenants were then examined and Father Ryan and one of the tenants William Slattery were committed to prison. On his arrival at Kilmainham Gaol he was greeted inside the gates by the Archbishop of Cashel Dr. [?] and by the Lord Mayor of Dublin. Mr. J.D. Sullivan. He remained in Kilmainham for two months.In the meantime O'Grady the landlord evicted several families and tried to work the farms by emergency men. He found that things were going from bad to worse on his estate at Herbertstown and he found that he could not realise nearly as much from the lands by that means as the tenants had been unwilling to pay him. Thereupon he entered into negotiations with the tenants and eventually gave them an abatement of twenty per cent.

There is a grave in the north-east of Herbertstown, in Rathjordan, in Barry's farm. It is said, that two men went to get the giant's money, one night, when he was buried. As they were digging the grave, they heard the roar of a bull, and they ran for their lives. It is said, that there is a bull seen there once a year.

The Caddell family came into possession of this estate about the beginning of the 16th century. A Caddell resided in the Naul. He gave fifteen acres to the Lord Deputy who was going on an expedition against O'Neill of Tyrone. There is also mention of the name Caddell in Dean Butler's 'History of Trim.' It seems the Caddells were relatives of Hugh de Lacy and must have settled on the borders of Meath and Dublin.
The present Herbertstown House is a modern structure, early 18th century. It is splendidly built with chiselled stone. It cost 7/20,000. A portion of the old dwelling can still be seen at the back of the present "Big" House.
Cromwell's forces passed through Herbertstown on their way to Drogheda. They plundered and sacked the house, desecrated the chapel, lopping off the arms of a life-size statue of the Redeemer taken down from the Cross.
The soldiers camped in one of the fields. During the night, both horses and men were stricken by a foul disease - being over-run and eaten alive by vermin. This field is known as the Lousy Lea. The Cromwellians continued on their way to Drogheda. Cromwell calling a halt on the way and tying his horse to the a bush - called Cromwell's Bush.

doorstep of Herbertstown House.
It is believed that on one occasion when he was closely pursued by his enemies he sought refuge in Herbertstown and in a cave in the woods he buried a great amount of gold and silver which he had taken from the mail coach.
(One of Collier's band, a man named Arnold lived in a house within sight of the school. It is in good repair. Two others are said to be buried in the Glens of Saddlestown).3. In the Moat Field on Miss Moran's land white leas there was believed to be buried treasure. One of the men from the village set out one night to dig for it. As he was digging a sudden wind arose and he was violently thrown to the ground. Every time he rose he was hurled to the ground again. He soon became unconscious. In the morning a search was made for him and he was discovered in the moat in a critical condition, babbling nonsense and shrieking. He was never in his right

times the local Parish Church was situated in the graveyard. The remains of this old Church are still to be seen. The ground in the graveyard is very soft and the graves have to be made very deeply. Many of the local families are buried in the local graveyard. Their ancestors were also buried there. There is a "boreen" leading to Ballinard Graveyard.Cahercorney Graveyard is situated in Mr. Michael McCarthy's farm in Cahercorney, in the Co. Limerick, about a mile north-west of the village of Herbertstown. It is square in shape. It is not quite as lonely looking as the graveyard in Ballinard. There are many large trees surrounding it. It slopes towards the river Camóg. In the graveyard are the remains of a Protestant Church. There are many tomb-stones there, two of the oldest dates are 1749, and 1795. Few of the local families are buried there. There is a passage leading to it.Kilcullane Graveyard is situated in Mr. Tom English's farm, about two miles west of the village of Herbertstown in the Co. Limerick. It is square in shape. There are a few large trees growing around it. It is now a disused graveyard. The last funeral took place there about ten years ago. It has a path about a quarter-of-a-mile in from the road, leading to it. Ballinamona Graveyard is situated in Mr. Tim