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  1. Eyrecourt

    Language
    English

    Eyrecourt (Contd from Page - )

    There was a tanyard in Eyrecourt where Niell's field now is. This field is still known as "tanyard field".
    Eyrecourt was called after the family of "Eyre". There is a story told about the name. During Cromwell's exploits in this part of the country there was a skirmish between the Cromwelliams and the Irish (near the bridge of Banagher). After it, Cromwell's helmet fell down on his face, and one of his followers rushed over to lift it back. Cromwell, acknowledging the service rendered said "You gave me air, and now I'll make you heir of all the country you can see. The name of this soldier was McCarthy, and he was known as "Eyre" after. His descendants lived in the castle in the vicinity (of Eyrecourt) until about ten years ago when Greg Eyre died, and the family called a public auction and went to England. Trenches another Protestant family in the locality were Cromwellites also and the origin of their name had some connection

  2. Funny Stories

    “The following story about a black pig is commonly believed in the district”

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Pat Coen

    4. The following story about a black pig is commonly believed in the district. A certain black pig is to be killed in Armagh, and his blood will flow down Redmount Hill near Eyrecourt. Any person that will not be from "Ben to Bo" will be killed. It is said that the blood of the black pig will stop in a valley in the Eyrecourt Castle lawn.

    Story told by Pat Coen of Abbeyland, Eyrecourt.

  3. The Local Patron Saint of Eyrecourt

    Language
    English

    The Local Patron Saint of Eyrecourt

    St Brendan is the patron Saint of Eyrecourt and also of the Diocese of Clonfert.
    The present Convent of Mercy in Eyrecourt is called after him.
    The Clonfert Cathedral is already described in this book. Several boys of the district are called after him. Our own school bears the name.
    His feast is not celebrated in Eyrecourt but it is celebrated in great style in Loughrea which is the Cathedral town.

  4. Fairy Stories

    “The "Balloons" are a series of hills situated on the Eyrecourt-Killimore road about a mile and a half from Eyrecourt.”

    Language
    English
    Informant
    John Conor
    Age
    70

    The Balloons

    John Conor age 70 living in Eyrecourt told this story and he heard it from his father.
    The "Balloons" are a series of hills situated on the Eyrecourt - Killimore road about a mile and a half from Eyrecourt. It is said that the origin of the name was that a man once ascended from there in an air balloon. In the middle of this large field there lived an old woman for many years. One morning she was awakened from her slumbers by loud unusual noises. Anxious to know the cause of this she got up from bed and looked out the window. A strange sight lay before her at a little distance - she beheld numbers of strange figures erecting large buildings. She was so excited on seeing this at such an hour that she gave

  5. Haunted Places

    Language
    English

    Laurencetown, other times it used to turn round the corner and go over the Clonfert road. The coach was one like those used by the aristocracy long ago, drawn by two horses without heads, and driven by a coach man without a head. It was said to come from the Eyre's castle in Eyrecourt. That castle is said to have been seen lighted up from Red Mount Hill, but when the people in Eyrecourt were asked about it they said that no lights were seen from Eyrecourt. So they must have been fairy lights.

    The road on the way passed Hart's cottage was also a great place for fairies. People would not

  6. Funny Stories

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Joe Kelly

    Funny Stories

    1. A man named Tom McGann from the bog of Fahy was returning home from Eyrecourt late one night. On the way he met a black cat who stopped him and spoke. He said "Tom, when you get home to-night tell Nancy Hazel that Biddy Gascoyne is dead". The man did not understand that these were cats' names. Some time after reaching home he proceeded to relate to his wife his strange adventure. Just when he had finished telling his story the cat who was sitting at the fire stood up and said "It is too late now, she is dead". With this the cat rushed out the door and was never seen after.
    This story was told to me by Joe Kelly a native of Eyrecourt. He heard it from his mother, now dead.
    The bog of Fahy is about 3 miles from Eyrecourt on the road to Portumna.

  8. Fairy Stories

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Joe Kelly

    Fairies Stories (Cont)

    This story was told by Joe Kelly, Eyrecourt, who heard this story from his father. The Eyre family lived in the Castle outside Eyrecourt from the time of Cromwell until about 10 years or so ago.
    When each member of the "Eyre" family died rings were not removed from their fingers, but were interred with them. When the Eyre of Eyrecourt Castle died some valuable rings were buried with her. The butler of the house noticed this, and the night after she was placed in the vault near by (where the Eyre family were put), he went to the vault, opened it and set about cutting the rings off her fingers.
    To his horror and amazement the blood immediately flowed from the cut finger and she sat upright and gave a cry. The butler ran for his life. A few minutes later Mrs. Eyre knocked at the front door. Her husband knew the knock to be the same as his dead wife was want to give. However, believing she was dead he was astonished to find her at the door. She was really only in a trance he believed to be dead.

  9. Local Landlords

    Language
    English
    Informant
    B. Donnolly
    Informant
    Pat Kelly

    were another big family whose origin is uncertain. They had big houses in Eyrecourt and in Kiltormer. The Eyrecourt family owned practically half the barony of Longford at one time. There were many stories told of how they got all this land. One was that he got all he could see from the top of Redmount Hill. another was that he got all that his pony would go round in one day. Another was that when he was on a ship coming to Ireland Cromwell promised a big reward to whoever would set foot on the land first and Eyre has his run foot cut off and threw it ashore to make sure that his would be first. They were a hard-drinking, hard riding, fast spending sort of people, the ideal type of "Man for Galway". They once had a private pack of hounds. I came across an old

  10. Story

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Patricia Broderick
    Age
    14

    My grandfather once told me a story about a man that was going home one night about 12 Oclock. He had to go about a mile but as he was just going down the hill of the Deerpark he heard great talking and laughing, and as he went on a little further he met a man coming up the hill carrying a coffin on their shoulders. One of the men said good night John, come on and get under this coffin, we have to bring it to Fahy churchyard to bury it. When they went to the gate of the churchyard there was a man there who would not let them in and told them to bring it to Eyrecourt churchyard and bury it there. Then the dispute rose on who was going to carry the coffin a distance of 2 miles and they all shouted out who but John Itogan which was the mans name and poor John had to get under the coffin again and carry it to Eyrecourt churchyard, but just like before there was a man at the gate who ordered them bring it to Redmount

  11. (no title)

    “There was a man living in Eyrecourt who did not walk or talk he was twenty one years of age.”

    Language
    English

    There was a man living in Eyrecourt who did not walk or talk till he was twenty-one years of age. Once there was a priest named Father Furlong in jail and on the day he was set at liberty a big meeting was held and there was great rejoicing in Eyrecourt.
    While the people were crowding round Father Furlong the cripple suddenly jumped up and asked the people to keep out of his way so that he could see the priest. All the people were astonished as up to that time the man had not been able either to speak or walk.

  12. Hidden Treasures

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Peggy Mc Dermott
    Age
    11

    Hidden Treasures

    No. 1
    Peggy McDermott, Eyrecourt, Co. Galway. Age 11 years.
    Tradition states that in the Endowed school in Eyrecourt there is a crock of gold buried under the flags beneath the stairs. It is guarded all night by the ghost of a Protestant clergy-man, a Reverend Mr Banks.

  13. Funny Stories

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Cissie Daly
    Informant
    T. Daly

    Funny Stories

    Once a Bishop was examining for Confirmation in a parish. There was one very big boy to be examined and he did not know very much catechism. The Bishop asked him who led the Israelites into the desert. The boy did not know. A friend who was sitting behind gave him a pinch and the boy said "Oh Holy Moses!" "That is right," said the Bishop "but don't speak so roughly the next time please."
    Cissie Daly, Eyrecourt, Co. Galway.
    Got from T. Daly, Eyrecourt.

  14. Funny Stories

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Cissie Daly
    Informant
    T. Daly

    Once a priest was after giving a sermon. When the sermon was over, a man met this priest and he remarked that he had heard every word of his sermon before. "That is funny" said the priest, because I assure you that sermon was original. "When I go home", said the man. "I will send you a book containing every word of your sermon". The priest was very annoyed, but the book arrived soon after he got home. It was a dictionary".

    Cissie Daly, Eyrecourt, Co. Galway.
    Got from T. Daly, Eyrecourt.

  15. Funny Stories

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Kitty Shaughnessy
    Informant
    Mrs Shaughnessy

    Funny Stories (Continued)

    means or other they dragged him to land and opened him. Inside, sitting on the old stool they found the old woman milking the goat into the tin-can.
    Kitty Shaughnessy, Redmount Hill, Eyrecourt.
    Got from Mrs. Shaughnessy, Redmount Hill, Eyrecourt.

  16. Hidden Treasure

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Joe Kelly
    Age
    65

    from Eyrecourt (on the road to Banagher) dreamt of hidden treasure being found in a neighbour's house. He dug up all around the hearth-stone, but got nothing. The man of the house was much offended about digging up his hearth-stone.

    Joe Kelly,
    Ballinakil.
    3 miles from Eyrecourt told this story. He heard from his father.

  17. Hidden Treasure

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Joe Kelly
    Age
    65

    Gortawilliam is in Ballinakil - 3 miles from Eyrecourt.

    This story was told by Joe Kelly (as above).
    8. A man called Cosgrove from Kilimore (six miles from Eyrecourt) dreamt three nights in succession of hidden treasure in a place called Gortawilliam. The sign of the treasure was to be a sugán tied to a certain bush. In his dream he was warned not to tell anyone about it, before telling it to the man of the house. He went to the house, and while waiting for the man in question told his strange story to the rest of the family. When the man of the house arrived they went out to search

  18. Fairy Stories

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Pat Kelly

    Fairy Stories.

    Pat Kelly, of Ballinakill, 2.1/2 miles from Eyrecourt, had the following experience:- One night he was coming home from Clonfert, (3 miles from Eyrecourt to the West of B.) by a short-cut through the fields. It was nearing the midnight hour, and quite suddenly he saw a big hunt with the usual arrany of huntsmen, hounds etc. The first hunstman halted, and asked him if he'd care to follow the hunt. He said "he wouldn't - that he was on his way home. A second hunstman stopped near him, and asked him the same question to which he replied in the negative. On being asked by the third hunstman he agreed, and immediately a calf sprung up as if from nowhere, and bore him away at a terrific pace. He was told by the third hunstman not to speak. The hunt had been on for a good time, and the calf was still speeding along. When the calf jumped over two ditches and a "póirín", and got ahead of the

  19. Fairy Stories

    Language
    English
    Informant
    Joe Lindsay

    Fairy Stories

    This story was told by Joe Lindsay, Lismore, Eyrecourt, who heard it from his father and grandfather. It is about 150 years old.
    Once upon a time there was a village called Keenaghan in Eyrecourt parish - "Kilfoyle" was the name of the family. Micilín was the father, and Judy the name of the mother. These people were very poor, and were always praying that some luck would come their way as they were very poorly circumstanced. One night as Micilín was coming home along a bóirín he met an old grey horse. "Good-night Micilín" said the horse. I hear you are always praying for something to come your way- yourself and poor Judy. There is a fortune awaiting you if you do as I say. Take me home by the "bob". You need not give me anything to eat or drink. When

  20. Death of a Priest

    Language
    English
    Collector
    Brighid, Bean Mhic Aodhgáin
    Occupation
    múinteoir
    Informant
    Mr Thomas Glynn
    Age
    83
    Occupation
    clerk

    Death of a Priest

    A tradition exists in Meelick that at a remote period a priest was killed accidentally on the road to Eyrecourt at a little bridge near Tom Roger's house at Mayour. No definite particulars can be gathered as to the probable date, or under what circumstances the death occurred. He was supposed to be riding a horse at the time he met his death. There is an awkward bend in the road at this particular spot and careful driving is necessary at any time. There is no reason to think otherwise than that at some date in the olden times the good priest ended his earthly career in this spot which is so familiar to those using the road between Meelick and the town of Eyrecourt.