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When the seed is cut care must be taken that an eye is left in each seed.
During the summer months care is taken that no weeks are allowed to grow in the potato crop.
The potatoes are dug out in Autumn by means of a potato digger and are picked from the ground by some helpers. The potatoes are stored in pits or sometimes on lofts.
The local names given to potatoes are Shamrocks and Irish Queens, and Shamrocks are considered the best type of potato in the district.
Potatoes were used as starch in former times

Potatoes are grown on my farm. Over two acres of land are sown under potatoes each year. The amount often varies according to the season.
My father prepares the ground each year and makes drills by means of a plough. Where-ever the soil is poor it is manured before being ploughed.
Potatoes are sown in ridges and in drills.
The ridges and drills are made by means of a plough but not by a spade.
Years ago wooden ploughs were always used for ploughing but none of them are to be seen nowadays.
Spades are not made locally but purchased in shops.
The local people help one another in planting the potatoes and in placing the manure in the drills.

purposes. This blossom when boiled in water is suitable for dyeing.
There is a small red berry it contains poison but it has no local name that I could find. It is said that herbs were used extensively to cure in former times but their local names are not known.

The most harmful weeds growing on my farm are docks thistles and buachalans. They are harmful because they grow rapidly, and impoverish the soil. Some weeds only grow where land is good, namely the thistle, and those found only in poor land are docks. Some herbs have medicinal properties. The foxgloveleaf is one which cures faracy in horses.
This herb is mixed with liquids namely vinegar and whiskey in order to cure. There is no tradition or connection with any herb or plant that I know. no herbs are used in food for man, but the thistle when young is used as food for animals.
The furze blossom is used for dyeing

is hilly and boggy.

The name of my home district is Bilboa. It is situated in the parish of Leighlin and in the Barony of Idrone.
There are about seventy families in the townland no name being predominant. Most of the houses are slated and very little of them are thatched.
There are several people over seventy living in the townland.
They do not know any Irish.
They can tell stories in English but they can not tell them in Irish.
People emigrated to America and to Scotland during the famine days.
There are several houses now in ruins.
Houses are more numerous at the present day than in former time.
The townland is not mentioned in any song or saying. Most of the land

did not obtain the name of a story teller.
The Dineen river rises in the Townland and flows until it reaches the nore at Dysart Bridge. It is said that Saint patrick cursed the slippy stones of the Dineen river because one day as he was crossing it he slipped. It is told too that Saint patrick cursed the rushes. He said that the top of a rush no matter how young will not have a green top.
The land in the townland is marshy, hilly, and consists of a great amount of Bogs.

My home is situated in the Townland of Gurthahile. It is situated in the parish of Killabin. The Barony is called Slievemargy. There are twelve families in the Townland. The names of families most common are Quinns and Dowlings. The houses are both thatched and slated. Houses are not as numerous as in former days. It is said they are only one tenth as numerous as they were. Many ruins are there to be seen but some are not. People emigrated from these ruins to America when the failure came on the potatoes 'crop'.
There are two people over seventy living in the Townland. They have no knowledge of Irish they

The following is another story of Collier the Robber. Collier received imformation that another masked and armed man was holding up the Stage Coaches, and worse than that he found out this man not only took their valubles, but molested and treated them cruely. Collier could not stand for that. He got another trail found out his name was Freeney. About this time the farmer's had to send to the Banks to draw out some money to pay their men. But they were afraid of being held up and robbed. Collier now disguised himself and sought work with the farmer's. When they all met together each seemed to be afraid to go to the Bank. Collier at once volunteered to go. He asked for the worse horse in the place and set off. When a few miles off at a turn in the road he

Long ago the back lane was known as the "Road to Tara". This old lane runs along by the banks of the river Tolka. Parts of this lane have disappeared. It is said that this lane ran from Dublin to Tara. There are five sandpits down along this lane and long ago they were worked by the Carrs of Parslickstown. The lane runs through Damastown land and on to the High road at Clonee. At Damastown there is a bridge crossing the river. This bridge is built of stones and it is said that in the time of the Black and Tans 1916 one of the walls was blown up and a cement wall was built there. Under the bridge the river is very deep and the deep part is called Probeys hole. It is said the Probey was coming home from a dance in his carriage one night and he could not see where he was driving. He drove into the hole and was drowned. On the side of the lane there is a little bush surrounded by three little hills. There is a Rosary beads hanging on the bush and they are made of wood. It is said

to seek the button. If a person goes near the hiding place the hider of the article points to here and says "Hot" and she points to the person who is far away and says "Cold". The game lasts for some time and the person who has found the button the most times at the end of the game wins. Boys also play the game of Hide and go seek.Cock-Robin
A number of girls may play this game. They first get into a ring. Two of the players get into the middle of the ring one of which kneels down on the ground. The ring of girls keep walking around the two girls who are on the ground. Whilst walking around they say "Cock Robin is dead and gone to his grave". The game goes on until the Cock-Robin arises and runs after the person who who is standing behind her. If she is caught she is then the Cock-Robin.

has to go a second time round hopping the ball twice in each square. If she succeeds in the second round she has to go around a third time hopping the ball three times in each square. The game goes on until the girl reaches her eight round when she has to hop the ball eight times in each square. It is very seldom a girl succeeds in the first chance. Any number of girls can play this game. The girl who performs the tasks without any faults wins the game. Hide and Go Seek
A button of an overcoat or some article about its size is got. The game takes place indoor. Any number of children can play the game. All the children with the exception of one are put out of the room. The remaining player takes the button and hides it. When it is hidden the rest of the players are allowed into the room

Whatever side does not fall wins the game.Spy Tig
The game is played something like Hide and go Seek. First of all everybody goes to hide with the exception of one person who waits in the den until all the others are. When they are hidden they all call "Spy". Then the person who waits in the den looks all around her to see if she can spy them. If she spies any of them she runs to the den and claps and claps her hands three times saying "I spy you one, two, three. If the hider reaches the den first clapping her hands three times she is not caught.Ball Beds
Another game played by girls is "Ball Beds". This game is played with a ball. Eight squares are marked on the road or path with chalk. A girl hops the ball in each square once. If she tips the line she is out of the game but if she succeeds in getting around she

continues, and the side that scores twenty "fullers" first wins the game. Girls can also play this game.The following are games played by girls: Thread, thread the Needle and Sew "Spy Tig" "Ball Beds" Hide and go Seek""Thread thread the Needle and Sew"
A number of girls can play this game. A group of girls get in a line. The two biggest go a good distance and take something like a golden watch. Sometimes one of the girls take a piano and the other takes a wireless. Then they say "Thread thread the Needle and sew". Then first girl comes along to the two girls and they whisper to her and ask her which would she rather have a piano or a wireless. If she says she would rather have a wireless she goes behind the girl who took the wireless. This goes on until all the girls have chosen what they would like. Then they catch hands and pull "Tug of War".

does not fall quick enough the birds will escape. Rounders
Another game I play is rounders. Two boys pick sides, with an even number of boys on each side. Then a coin is tossed to decide which side enters the den first. When this is done the losers of the toss spread through the field. One of the fielders is called a bowler. The bowler bowls a ball to the first boy in the den. The boy in the den can get three bowls. There are four corners, which is called a run and if the boy in the den gets a good bowl and hits the ball far he will make a round which is called a "Fuller". If the fielders get the ball and strike the boy when on his round he is either out of the game or taken back into the den at the expense of a "Fuller". Sometimes a player in the den may strike a ball into the air and caught by one of the "Fielders". If this occurs the sides change places. This

game goes. The game generally starts at one end of the field and ends up at the other end. Leap frog may often come to an end by a player being hurt which is very simple. Towards the end of the game the children begin to get tired and not able to jump over on of the other children. He will try jumping over one of his play mate but instead he will jump into him and be hurted.In Autumn many of the children around the district go along the hedges picking blackberries. They have much fun in gathering the wild fruit. On Hallow Een night some the children amuse themselves cracking nuts. I sometimes make bird traps in winter when the birds are plentiful around the haggard. I place a box on the ground resting on a piece of stick. I then place grain under the box and tie a piece of twine to the stick. When I have this done I take one end of the twine in my hand and hide in a heap of straw. When the birds come under the box I pull the twine and the box falls. If the box

The tyings of the cows are chains but sometimes of rope or leather. None of the tyings are made locally. Many of the doors of the cow-shed are shaped like a horse shoe.
The customs of the fowl are very plentiful Eggs are hatched in many of the houses of the village. The number is thirteen and they are put under a clocking hen. Before they are set they are sprinkled with holy water. Sometimes the eggs are marked with a copying ink pencil. The sign of the cross is marked on them. The eggs are put in a cosy nest in a very dark corner. The hen sits on them for three weeks until they are hatched. If there is a thunder storm during that period a piece of iron is placed under the eggs to keep them from danger. Most of the eggs are put to hatch around Easter.It is said that when a hen crows it is a sign of bad luck. When a cock crows in the middle of the night it is considered unlucky.

pigs = Hursh, dogs = according to name, hens = chuck - These calls are recited several times. There are many old customs attached to domestic animals. When a cow is being milked the milker sits on the right hand side of the cow. Sometimes when the milker is finished his job he makes the sign of the cross on the cows back with the froth that comes on the top of the milk. In Mr. Birmingham's yard blood is spilt in front of the cow shed door. This is done (of) on Saint Martin's day to bring luck to the cows during the year. This saint's day is on the eleventh of November. In some parts of the district the house in which the cows are kept is called "the cowshed" and in other parts it is called "the byre". Very often a horse-shoe is hung over the cows shed door to bring luck to the animals within. The horshoe points downwards. Very often a picture of the Sacred Heart is hung over the door of the byre. This is done to keep away all harm from the byre during the year. The cows are tied by the neck to a manger

There are fields in Buzzardstown which have many names. First of all Buzzardstown itself got its name from the gentleman named Buzzard who used to live there.The three brothers
This field got its name the time of the Normans invasion. One day three brothers were hanged in that field in a mistake for somebody else. Since then it is called the Three Brothers.

There is a treasure hidden in William Doogue's field. It is hidden in a rock called the Ivey rock. It is two fields from the main road. The man who hid this treasure is not known. It is said that their will have to be three lives lost at this rock before the money will be got. There is a hidden treasure in Abraham Tracey's field. The field is at the back of the house. The treasure is hidden under a crabtree. It is supposed to be a crock of gold. The man who hid this money is [?] not known. Two men tried to dig for it but they were driven away by a sheep.

were told to me by

The prayers which I know are Morning Offering, Our Father, Hail Mary, Act of Contrition, Rememberance, Prayer to St. Jude, the prayer for Christmas, the Night Offering. These prayers

night Joe Toole beat his father Thomas Toole, Thomas Toole was drunk which prevented him from winning.There was a strong man in the Berr Bog named Thomas Malone and with him his brother John Malone. There was a strong man in Dromagh namely John Byrne. One night there was a boxing match going on in America, one man was being defeated. John Byrne asked the winner would he fight him, the man consented. The match took place John Byrne won. There was a strong man in Newtown namely Patrick Ward.

There were strong people in the district long ago. Thomas Toole from Rossmore was a very strong man, he was able to put up a half barrell of stout on Mr. Fitzpatrick's counter once.

It is said that Finn Mac Cumhall was born in Killeshin. He was a great warrior. Gleann Uisean is it's Irish name which means the son of Oisin. There was a little town in Killeshin long ago. There was a prison, a place for hanging people, and a town. There is a great hill down through Killeshin which is called the cuts of Killeshin.The chapel in Killeshin has a great many steps leading to its entrance. It is said there is a painting on the door of the chapel corresponding with a Prince who was killed when out hunting.

Once there lived an old man whose name was Mr. Brennan from the Glen in the Rushes. He had some fowl and two dogs. A fox came to his house every night. One night the fox came, he began to bark coming near the house but the dogs did not answer. Soon the dogs began to walk with the fox until they came to a stream. It was a frosty night and the fox said he would put his tail in the water on account of it being so warm. The dogs put their tails in the in the water. The fox began to pull his tail out of the water until gradually he had to it out altogether. The dogs kept theirs in the water until they were frozen in the ice. The fox went on to the farmyard and got the fowl.

The potatoes are generally sown in drills in this district. First the soil is ploughed, then it is harrowed. Then it is cultivated. Then the drills are made open, manure is spread in the drills and the potatoes are then planted, each seed being about one foot apart. The potatoes are covered in. When the blossoms come on to potatoes they are sprayed. The new potatoes are dug out in September, and October.

is used for bites, Ivy is used for teethache when boiled. A dock-leaf is used for curing the sting of a nettle.

Many people such as tinkers, travellers and Gipsies travel " very long distances in this district. These people sell cans, saucepans, tins and many other things. There are also cattle - dealers who travel great distances. These travellers sleep in vans. When they stop in certain places they light fires in the ditches. The travellers who deal in horses buy a certain quantity of horses, and they let the horses out in some field and pay the owner of the field so much money. The best known travellers in this

the fair, ever since, that day, the day on which the fair is being held is raining.If a person was going to the fair and if he forgot his coat it is said he will have an unlucky day. If a rat crossed the road? it is unlucky. If a person put on any of his clothes inside out it is lucky.

It is said that Thursday is an unlucky day. Once there was a woman in the fair of Maryboro and she didn't get her right. She cursed

Once upon a time there lived a person in this locality who was able to make a kite. First of all he cut three ash rods. He curled one of the rods into a round ring and he cut it on the top, he put the second one into the hole. The remaining one he put from the top to the bottom of the round one. he then put the brown paper over all the stick. He applied some paste to the paper to make it stick. He then put a roll of twine on the kite, and then it was ready for use. Once there was a man who was able to make a dancing master. He got a piece of board and shaped it round. Then he put a spring inside the board. When he wanted to make it dance he put it on a saw and shook the saw.

of a month or so the wart's withered away. This mans name was Mr. Donnelly.There is a holy well in Kilgory. It is said if you have an ailment and drink some of the water it will be healed. Rags of various colours decorate a tree by the wayside to show that different diseases have been cured. If a wedding ring is applied to a sty on the eye it will cure it. If the leaves of ivy out of a churchyard were boiled and the water drank it is supposed to cure teethache. If Bread-soda were applied to a burn it would cure it. If the sting of a nettle is rubbed with a dock-leaf it will cure it.

The most common cures for wart's in this district are to make the sign of the cross on the wart's with the froth off boiling potatoes, and to rub a snail on the wart's and to hang it on a white-thorn bush and when the snail withers the wart's will wither. Another cure is the put your fasting spit on them for nine consecutive mornings. Once I had wart's on my hand. I tried many remedies but they were of no avail. I heard of a man who lived in the Co. Kildare who had power to cure wart's. One day I went to the man. He got three straws and one had a knob on it. He made a cross out of two of them and he rubbed the warts with the other straw and said some prayers. In the course

egg. The cuckoo follows the older ones on their flight.

hers with moss and leaves in a wall. The magpie, the crow and the woodpideon make theirs from mud, and sprigs. The wren builds her nest with moss, feathers, and horses hair. She lay's twenty two eggs. Their colours are similar to those of the robin. Those birds sit on their nests for about a fortnight.It is said that if you kill a swallow the cows will mild blood. This happens because insects bite the cattle but the swallows eat them. The weather can also be judged by the swallows. If the swallows are flying high it is the sign of wet weather. When the curlew cries very loud it is the sign of rain.It is said why the robin has a red breast is that when Our Saviour was hanging on the cross the robin came and was trying to get out the crown of thorns off his Head. A thorn stuck in his breast and it began to bleed. It is said that ever since a robin has a red breast. The cuckoo is said to be the nicest bird of all. It has lovely red feet and beatiful colour in its breast. It also goes off to a warm country for the winter. A lark always follows the cuckoo, and the cuckoo lays it's egg in the lark's nest and she hatches the

The robin builds her nest in a ditch or bush around here. The blackbird generally builds her's in a holly bush or in an ivy tree. The yellow hammer builds her nest in a wall. The magpie, the crow, and the wood pideon build theirs in tall trees. The wren builds hers in a mossy bank. The robin makes her nest from moss, sprigs, and clabour. She lines it with small feathers and wool. She lays four white eggs white eggs with brown spots on them. The blackbird makes her nest something similar to the robin. The yellow hammer builds hers with horses hair and mud. The stone-chatter builds

because there is a swamp in it.Fairy tree gets its name because there is supposed to be a fairy minding it. Mr. Deevey owns it. The lone tree is so called because there is no other tree growing in it.

There are many names of fields in this district, such as the "Aca Mor". This field gets it's name on account of it being so large. It belongs to Mr. Graham. It is situated on the / Main road to Carlow. The Banog belongs to Mr. Brennan. This field derives it's name because there are so many daisies growing in it. The quarry - field belongs to Mr. Quigley. It is called that name because there is a quarry in it. Wards - hill gets it's name from a man named Mr. Ward who lived in the place. Mr. Deevey owns the place now. Moore's hill" belongs to Mr. Delaney. It is so called because Mr. Moore once lived there. Carrg-an-tige, This field gets its name because there are rocks in the field. The swamp hollow, This field is so called

dressed up came to the house. They got tea and dinner, namely Tom Reilly, James Ryan, and Bill Brown were racing. Tom Reilly won the contest.

It is unlucky to get married on May. It is unlucky to get married if there is a coffin in the chapel. The following is an old saying. Monday for health, Tuesday for wealth, Wednesday for the best day of all, Thursday for losses, Friday for crosses, and Saturday no day at all.There were a pair getting married in Doonane, namely James Neill, and Mary Brennan. They were given ten pounds and two cows as a dowry. There were boots tied out of the motor-cars. Boys

by twisting sally-rods in and out when fresh. Mr. Brennan was able to make spades, gates and all iron implements. Willie Lynam was a great carpenter he was able to make gates, cars, boggies. Patrick Quinn is a good carpenter he makes cars, and crydens. This folklore was told to me by

There was a family in Doonane, the names of these people were Brennan's. They made their own candles. They made these candles out of peeled rushes. When they peeled the rushes, they dipped them in greace. They lighted these candles whenever needed.There one lived three brothers in Aughareenock, namely Peter, Joc, and John Haughney. They made baskets

the Rushes School. They were found unconscious, and afterwards died in Dublin. The names of these people were Peter and Mike. There was a big Rainfall in 1820, it flooded many houses. Mr Ryans house of Aughareenock, Peter Breens house was flooded in Doonane. Mr. Gaskins of Ballickmoyler. This story was told to me by

There was once a big snowfall in 1736. There were many lives lost. Three of the Neills were (we) lost, Maggie, Patrick and James. These three people were coming from Carlow, they lost their way at Mr. Fitzpatricks of Killeshin. They were discovered after a week dead. Two of the Reilly's were lost, they were coming from Athy. They lost their was at

Once there was a great burning of the Barracks 1920. John Carroll's Store of Moduleagh was burned with petrol. There was a pit burned on Patrick Brennan Doonane. Peter Neills shop of the Swan was burned in 1749. There was a big shop burned in Abbeyleix. The people who owned the shop were Thorntons. There was a milk depot burned in 17 [?] in Abbeyleix, There was a shop burned in Athy, the owners of this shop were Comforts. This story was told to me by

The name of my District is Tolerton. The name of the Townsland is Tolerton. The Barony is Slieve Margie. Doonane is the Parish. There is a population of about one thousand people in the district. The district - Tolerton get's it's name from a Landlord who lived long ago in Tolerton. There were twenty eight rooms on his house.

district are the Purcells, the Cashes and the Ryans.The best known stopping places for these travellers are Dan Moore's cross road, Aughaterry cross roads. They make tents with canvas and sticks. Some of them go around selling things. This folklore was told to me by

John Durkan,
Kilduff,
Callow,
Foxford,
Mayo.

him sit down that he had only a baisin of broth that would help him on.
He sat down and the little man handed him a baisin of broth. This broth was boiling mad and he struck the man between the two eyes with it.

would knock at the door.They were very hungry and the scotch man had a big whisker and he knocked at the door.
A little man came out about as big as a tod. The scotch man asked for some relief because he was hungry. The little man asked him inside and told

A funny story.
There was an English man an Irish man and a Scotch man who struck out to march along for a day until it got dark. They saw a light in a wood, they went along to the light and when they got there it was a big hall. They cast lots who

a cure for a rash in the skins of children.

Nettles are for purifying the blood.
Trefoil. If a man holds trefoil in his hands he cannot be hurt by a lion or a venemous beast.
Garlic is a cure for colic.
Dandelion is a cure for wind in the stomach.
Glas na coille is