Ancient Buildings
Ruins of Wind Mills
Up to about fifty years ago wind mills were in use in the district of Kilmore. On the road to Bridgetown about a quarter of a mile from Kilmore Village stands the ruins of an old wind-mill.About a mile and a half fro Kilmore in the direction of Ballyhealy there is another wind mill at Booley's Cross. This mill is quite intact but is not used for grinding purposes.

Taking the present parish of Kilmore which includes the old parishes of Kilmore, Kilturk, Tomhaggard and Mulrankin the three outstanding leaders were Bagenal Harvey Bargey Castle, John Boxwell Sarshill, (they two were of Cromwellian descent) and John Henry Colclough of Ballytiegue Castle whose family came to Ireland in Henry V111's time. Bagenal Harvey was executed on the bridge of Wexford in June 1798. He was an ilustrious Irish man and commander in chief for a time. John Boxwell led the Kilmore soldiers to the battle of Ross and was killed there. John H. Colclough was executed on the bridge the day after Harvey. He was buried in St Patricks church yard in Wexford town. The Mulrankin corps was led by Captain Clooney. They fought at the Battles of New Ross and Horetown and did splendid work there. After the defeat of the insurgents and the taking of Wexford by General Lake, the scattered Mulrankin corps and many from surrounding parishes assembled at the cross of the Moor with the intention of marching off to Sleedagh to join the main force encamped there under the commander of Father John Murphy and Father Roche. While deliberating as to the best course to take two old men James Brown and Patrick Howlin came up and joined the assembly, and being asked to give them advice.

The Wreck of "The Mexico"
About twenty years ago, a ship named the "Mexico" was wrecked on the Kierricks Rocks off Kilmore. There was a cargo of coal on her and about fourteen men. The tug from Wexford towed around the Wexford lifeboat. The Kilmore and Feathard lifeboats also set out.
The crew of the Feathard life-boat were all lost. The Kilmore lifeboat was unable to reach the wreck and had to return home. The Wexford lifeboat was able to reach the wreck and were just in time to save the crew.

Mickey Mc. Kenna of Drumskelt - Newbliss says that he often saw a light on the Drumskelt Rd. late at night. It would go for a distance along the road and then go across the fields down to Corlougharoo Lake where it would disappear.
There is a light seen on Kilmore Rd. very often at night. Many people have seen it. It goes along the road for about half a mile and then disappears. If any-one is coming meeting it, it turns into a field before they come near it. Mrs. Morton of Crappagh Newbliss, who was born and reared in Kilmore says they often watched it nights from her house. One night after eleven o'clock she and her daughter Nellie, were coming from Kilmore - her old home-place - they were cycling and saw a great light coming along behind them. The road being very narrow, they dismounted thinking it was the headlights of a car they saw.

The match took place between Kilmore and Ballinard. The ball was thrown in near the Piggrin of Ballinaclough and it was to be brought either to the Hill of Ballinard or to the Hill of Kilmore. The latter was destined to be its destination. Billy Shunnery (Ó Sionnaig) of Ballywalter struck the ball down the hill and was after it like a hare. The two rivers they had to cross (the two Multeen's(?)) were swollen bank high by floods. He struck the ball across and swam across followed by the others. They never succeeded in preventing him taking the ball until he brought it safely to Kilmore Hill about two miles.Fights and quarrells were not infrequent among those who carried up the rear
Story by,Denis McCarthy
Kilmore
Golden

O'Beirnes who were chieftains of Kilmore and Aughrim in County Roscommon. They leased the majority of the lands back to the O Beirnes of Kilmore and Jamestown. They were fairly good landlords. Charlestown has passed into the hands of Mr. Doyle, Belfast and Ballyfinn Castle in King's County into the hands of the nuns who use it as a convent. None of these two families are in existence. Captain King collected the 'Tithes' for the parsons, and the people were evicted on refusing to subscribe. The last of the Kings died in 1915. Mr Smith was acquainted with him. They were very good Catholics. There were no evictions of tenants off their own lands.

The following song was composed over forty years ago about a race horse named Mary Anne, the property of a man named O'Beirne from Kilmore

My home district.
The following is an account of the town lands of Mount-Plunkett, Kilmore, Killeen Reevagh, Killoy, Gailey Beg, situated in the baronry of Athlone and in the parish of Knockcroghery.
Mount Plunkett and Kilmore
There was a man named Plunkett living here and this is how it got its name. The houses are mostly thatched. There are not many hills in Mount Plunkett the only one is "The Scrub". There is a small wood named Mount Plunkett and also another named the Oak wood in this district.
There are eight families in these districts and there are twenty four people in them. There is a house belonged to a family named Kellys in Mount Plunkett and it is said it was a church but it is now in ruins and the windows are still visible. There are two people over seventy. Mary Mac Gloughlin, and Pat Seery. There is a large wood in Kilmore.

familiar figure at all sports, and football meetings in Munster. He was a first rate raconteur, and as such enjoyed a large patronage for his wares.Mr. Jerry Reidy (aged 89) of Kilmore; Rathanny says that Tom Prendeville and Ml. Scanlon (Kilmore) were the only "good walkers" of this parish.

Our townland is called Kilmore it is situated in the Parish of Milford. There are six houses in it. We are bounding Lauragh, and Bunmona. There is a stream running along the bounding of Kilmore, and Bunmona. It never runs dry, even (it never) in the driest Summer there is water in it for the use of the house, and the cattle. The only thing that is remarkable about our farm is, there is a very big stone in the corner of a field, and we call that field the stone field. We were told by our forefathers not to ever remove that stone, as it is said that long ago when the Danes were fighting in Ireland there were three

Cill Mor
Was in the townsland of Kilmore not far from Clashmore. There is a huge big mound there to the present day. Fr. Power maintains that it was Coill Mor and not Clashmore that the Danes raided in 631.
The following story was told to me by Mr. James Scanlan of Cladagh in connection with Kilmore:
The 'Cill' is in Foley's land of Kilmore and in the old days when the Kerrymen came for the potato digging Foleys had three of them working. It was coming to the end of the season and they had six weeks wages due to them. One day they were told to cut a passage through the 'Cill'. They went off and from that day to this they were never heard of. Some people maintain that they found a crock of gold and decamped with it.

There are four well-known lioses in this parish. There is one in Knockaneris, one in Kilmore, one in Coolbagh and another in the mountain. It is said that in days gone by two men went in half way in the lios that is abroad in the mountain and when they saw all the beautiful rooms and the furniture in it they said one to another come in to see will we get anything to eat as they were all day and night travelling. They had no sooner said this when all the fairies thronged around them and they told the men if they would leave home they would be killed. So terrified were the men as they ran home but these two men lived to the age of 99 years. Every body thought that it was wonderful and they spent two months before they died suffering from shock. This happened to Scottish men who came across to Ireland looking for lioses so they never tried for another lios after the first lios they found. The lios in Kilmore is well known by everybody.

There are a few local heroes around my home. The first I am going to mention is Jim Kenny of Kilmore. He fought during the Black and tans when they were in Ireland. He was on the run for a long time and he used to escape them by a hairs breadth only. The next local hero is James Bardon, Kilmore, and he won many long races. He also (one) won many long jumps and high jumps and won prizes at the musical chairs, and he has a brother called John who can jump twenty-two foot ten inches at a long jump. The next thing is about scythe mowers. The best man I know at it is James Kenny, he can mow three roods in a day.

The local roads in my (dri) district is the Tarmonbarry which leads from Longford to Tarmonbarry. The Brianstown Road leads from Newtownforbes to Sligo. The Kilmore road leads from Kilashee to Lanesborough. Corteen three road leads to Corteen three roads school. No one knows when these roads were made. All the roads in my district are not very old. There a few paths through Henry Jh Joher's field. All the the boy's in my district gather up a Kilmore Crossroads in the summer evenings to play tricks. There are no mass paths in my district. All the roads in my district are still used.

There is a blessed well in Bally Brock in the parish of Kilmore it is known as St Johns Well. There is a pilgrimage to it on the 24th of June. It cures pains.There is a blessed well in Kil Cowan in the parish of Rathangan. It cures warts.There is a blessed well in Tomhaggard in the parish of Kilmore it is known as St Anns Well. It cures everything.There is a well in Bridge Well in the parish of Cleariestown, it is known as St Bridgets Well.In Tomhaggard in the parish of Kilmore is St James's well.

In an "Auld" ruined church near Kilmore there was a pair of "auld" human skulls, which were placed in a window, and which were never known to be any other place but who ever or what ever put 'em there they were brought to Black-rock in a boat, and dumped, but they were there in the windows again the next day as fresh as a daisy, ans when they were buried it was the same story so the people got afraid of 'em and never meddled wud 'em since.Told by Mrs. Bridget Freeman, Kilmore, Wexford

as a mark of respect for the dead. In the course of centuries thousands of crosses were placed at the foot of the crucifix. The writer then argues that Saint James was the patron of Kilmore Parish and that the Normans introduced this custom in his honour. Moreover the Canons Regular who had charge of the Shrine at Roncevalles had a house at Lady's Island and they may have helped to establish the custom. At Tomhaggard (Kilmore) you have two holy wells - one in honour of Saint James - the other - Saint Anne. Over the latter well- a beautiful statue of Saint Anne - was unveiled by me 1930. As it near the road - it may be regarded as a wayside shrine. Crowds attend the pattern - every year -

The photograph opposite is that of the new Cathedral. The old Cathedral and part of the Bishop's house are situated on the north side of the new building. The portion of the old building used as the Cathedral is now used as The Parochial Hall while the portion of the Bishop's residence under the same roof is made use of for parish needs. The old ruined graveyard enclosed by a big well is very interesting-the chief point of interest being the tomb of Bishop Bidell, under the sycamore planted by him.
The new See House or present Bishop's residence is situated a short distance from the Cathedral. It is an imposing building and surrounded by fertile well-wooded land. It is approached by an avenue which opens to the main road leading to Cavan at one end, this is the front entrance. Th other end leads to the avenue by which the Cathedral is approached. Peat inhabited lodges stand at each entrance.
The present Bishop is Right Rev. A.W. Barton W.W. enthroned in Kilmore Cathedral 1930, as Bishop of Kilmore Elphin and Ardagh.
The rector of Kilmore parish is Very Rev. W.F. Atkins M.A. who became the Dean in 1931.

My Father told me one day about a man named Pat Delaney living in the district of Kilmore.
A man named Pat Delaney who lives in Kilmore was cutting turf in a bog. When he was leaving the bog he

In the townland of Kilmore there was a hedge school some years ago. It was along the Kilmore Road in Mr James Carolan's field. The teacher's name was Brigid Reilly. The pupils' parents gave her lodgings in their turn. Lessons were taught indoors. The teachers had no salary, but the people gave her whatever they could.
Both my grandfathers and the late Mr. Andrew McCabe attended that school.
Mr Bernard Kiernan Burnia, Virginia, Co Cavan and Mr. Owen Fitzsimons Kilmore, Virginia, Co Cavan were my grandfathers.
Mr Andrew McCabe Gallon, Virginia