KillahurlerI live in the townland of Killahurler. The townland is in the south east of Co. Wicklow and in the parish of Arklow. It is in the barony of "O' Kinnsella". O' Kinnsella ruled the barony long ago. There are eighteen families in the townland. There are from three to six people in each family. The most common name is "Hagan". There are two people over seventy in the townland - Andrew Mc. Donald and James Kavanagh. There are eighteen fair sized houses and three of them are thatched. The old Irish name for Killaherler is "Cille Acadh Úrláir" - the Church of the wooden floor. The ruins of an old Church and Graveyard are to be seen on the lands of "Mr. Merrigan". The land is mostly hilly. There is one small river running through the townland. The name of the river is - the "Grannies Ford". A few young people went to America from the locality.

In Cill Acadh Úrláir [?] is still to be seen the ruins of an old church - yard. It is in Mr. Merrigan's land and it is in the corner of a field near the road. As you approach you can see the old headstone - there are six altogether. The church-yard is surrounded by a low fence and large trees. It is now covered with briars and long grass - but the head - stones and a gable wall of the old church are still to be seen. The wall is about five yards high and is covered with ivy. Killahurler was a Parish in olden times and this was the Parish Church. There was a seperate Parish in then. Killahurler is now in the Parish of Johnstown. The old Parish church of Johnstown was at Thomastown cross about a quarter of a mile from the present church.The present church was built in the year eighteen and three - before Catholic Emancipation and the Church Bell is still out in the field as that time.

There is a fort in the townland of Palace in county Wexford. It is said that lights can be seen at night and music heard. It is said that a man named Peter was going home at night and he was led astray and he was away for seven years. There is a fort in Newtown in Co. Wexford. There is a fort in Killahurler in Co. Wicklow.

There is an old graveyard in Killahurler in a field belonging to Merrigans. It is overgrown with bushes and briars. If you poke through the growth you will find old head stones of rough stone. Some of them are flat. It is impossible to see any writing on them because they are covered with moss.

I live in the townland of Killahurler. Nearly every field in the district has a name. One is called the "Cricket" field because old Killahurler cricket team used to play there.
There is also the "Little and Big" Forts, these are two fields in which there are forts. Another field is "The Graveyard field" because there is an old Graveyard in it .
There is also the "Moath field" because there is a moath in it.
Other fields of by the names = "The Cultogs" "Brienog" and the "broom field".
Another field is the "Tighes field" because people named Tighes had the field long ago.
a field called the "Mill Meadow" was called because people named Dorans had a mill there. The old mill - race is to be seen there yet. The same Dorans owned a stretch of

Fairy FortsThere are two Fairy Forts in my school district. One of them is in Askinch and the other is in Killahurler. They are known as raheens or moaths. They are not in view of each other. Both of them are round. There are no fences round them and there is no entrance hole and there are no stories concerning them. It is believed that there is a light seen in one of them.When the farmer who owns the one in Askinch was ploughing the field in which the raheen is he ploughed the raheen and sowed oats on it. The oats grow in all the fields except on the raheen.

Hallow - Eve is greatly welcomed in my home - district - Killahurler. Many games are played in the locallity. The best practiced game is "Bobbing for Apples". Everyone ties his hands behind his back. Each one in turn goes down on his knees. A tub of water is placed on the floor. An apple is placed in the water and each one tries to get it with their mouths. There is another game too. An apple is hung from the ceiling by a cord. Each one ties his hands behind his back and tries to catch the apple in his mouth. Long ago our old people had a game called "Looking for the Yoragh". Each one were blindfolded and in the dark they went out to seek the "Yoragh". (some) If a young person found the Yoragh some of the older people could tell the sort of person they would marry. When games are over we await the Visards. Some men dress up in old clothes.