In this district long ago many famouse men lived, some were noted for their great strength. There is a man named John Carty living in the village of Belmount and when he was young he could carry a stone "roller" on his shoulders and walk about half a mile with it, and everybidy that used to see him would stand and look at him in surprise
There was a man named Jack Swift living in this parish, and he used to carry a two hundred bag of meal from Claremorris to his own home which was about four miles from the town, and he would only rest once at Caramarla Bridge.
There were many good runners also. Patrick Nally from Balla was the champion runner of county mayo. Near mayo Abbey lived a man named Rory higgins and he could keep up with any horse for a few hundred yards.
Good mowers were John Kelly who could mow five roods of meadow in a day, and Peter Sheridan who could mow half an acre in a day. Long ago it was a pastime for the boys to go swimming every Sunday in Derryfadd lake.