The Patron Saint of Carrickbeg is Saint Molleran.
The belfry and tower and almost all the northern side of the parochial church, Carrickbeg, are the remains of the Franciscan Friary erected in 1336 upon a site granted by James Butler, 1st Earl of Ormond. This ancient Friary was surrended on the suppression of the monasteries in 1540 (Henry VIII).
The ancient Franciscan church was restored to Catholic usage by the Rev. Michael Power, P.P. 1827. At the time of the restoration of this ancient church of Carrickbeg the Protestant Rector of the parish threatened to take possession of it when repaired. The case was submitted to Daniel O' Connell who advised that the Protestant Rector had no right whatsoever to take possession of the church. It is ever since used as the Parish Church of Carrickbeg.

In Carrickbeg on the old Mass road up boreen in the field is the well of Saint Molleran to which devotees resorted in the old times about 70 years ago the pigrimages ceased. It is from this well that the townsland of Carrickbeg is called Kilmolleran. In Coolnamuc are two wells bearing some reputation for Sanctity or super natural virtue. One is St. Anthony's down in the fields by the tower near the River. This formerly had a pattern but has now lost not only its reputation for Sanctity but practicality its very name.
The other is 'Saint Vallerys' well by the roadside at Millvale. Its real name is ''Tobar Bealaig'' The well by the Roadway. Nothing is known about this or whether a pilgrimage was held or pattern.

Some strong men of the parish
In days gone by some strong men dwelled in the parish of Carrickbeg. Some of these men are old men now and some of them are dead for some years. Those men’s names were Thomas Fitzpatrick Seskin Carrickbeg, Carrick-on-Suir who used to fall some large trees and when the tree was falling he used to catch the trunk of he tree and run off with it , because if he let the tree where it was it would get caught in the other trees. John McGrath was another strong man. One time he was going out to spread manure on potatoes and he had four big bags of artificial manure in the cart anyhow the horse and cart and manure got overturned and the man was very much put out over it because his master was very cross and he said to himself that he would try to turn the cart back again and he turned it back again. He told Thomas Fitzpatrick that he had to put the bread which he got from his employer under the wheel of his cart to soften it before he could eat it. John McGrath also lifted a pair of wheels belonging to a common cart. It is now thirty years since he lifted this weight. Thomas Browne, Crehanagh, Carrick-on-Suir was as strong as any other strong man. He had two bags of superphosphate to spread on the potatoes

Were about two hundred and sixty weavers in Carrickbeg alone. Every holiday all the weavers used to go up the hill with crowbars and sticks for the purpose of moving the rock but the real reason for going up was to hold political meetings.

The principal Wells of this parish Carrickbeg - Barony of Upper Third County of Waterford
1. Tobar na gCrann, in Carrickbeg beside the Suir about 80yards east of the New bridge.Ther are no trees beside the well now.
2. The Cradle Well in a field owned by Mr.Patrick O’Donnell at Coolnamuck, Carrickbeg.
3. The Geata breach well in Coolnamuck.
4. St Valery’s wellon the Coolnamuck estate. There is no local knowledge as to who this St Valery’s was.
5. Na sruthán at lower Crehanagh by the side of the main road leading to Carrick–on-Suir.
6. Tobar an Freestone, in Portnaboe on Dunne’s land on the high road leading to Portlaw.
7. Tuinn a’ bhiolar opposite our school in second field away. It is on Mr. Comerford’s farm and is now practically useless as the owner allowed his cattle to destroy the well. When in use the water was in quality excellent.
8. Sceach an t-Srutha. In Crehana on Comerford’s farm now almost destroyed by his cattle.
9. Tobar an phúcha in Mr. Patrick Balwin’s bog at Joanstown. This well was often skimmed on a May morning in the days of the old butter-making.

There are four ancient cemetries in this parish namely Churchtown, Fenough, Carrickbeg and Kilmoleran. In none of these are there ancient remains except Churchtown. In this cemetery there are many ancient tombstones one of them recording the in 1587 of a man named John Butler Fitzgerald of Ballindesert.Another commemorates the death of Charles Everard in 1643 grandson of John Everard. This place is also know as Ballintemple and also Disert Vairbre - the hermitage of Vairbre.In Carrickbeg there is an old cemetery known as Relic na Muc which contains the site of an ancient church of Kilmoleran. There is a story told of some of the stones of this ancient church were used in building a mausoleum to a noted duellist named Hayes.The ancient cemetery at Fenough is said to date from early Christian

About forty years ago a large amount of cobblers use to pay a visit to Fahy’s field Windgap Carrickbeg, Carrick – on- Suir and they used to take an oath by taking an awl in their right hand and they use to swear that one cobbler would not sell a shoe or boot cheaper or dearer within the future twelve months. They used to stick an awl into the tree when taking the oath. The tree widered away and the trunk of the tree remains up to the present day. It is left there in memory of the old cobblers that came from Carrick – on- Suir to stick their awls in to Fahy’s Elm tree. When the cobblers used to come out to Fahy’s field they used to make a whip from strips of leather and they used to whip tops along the road until they reach the field. The field is called the Court field because the cobblers used to take oaths in this field.

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leather money. Some of which is in the writers possession. After the slump the factory closed and the Malcomsoms left Portlaw for years after and the last of them died in Portlaw five years ago, the late George V. Malcomson. The factory remained closed until the present government came into office. It was opened as Tannery by an Irish company as the Irish Tanners, Limited. Portlaw. There are three hundred hands employed there at present making leather from raws material. It is once more a flourishing town with the new waterworks and electric light and forty new houses und construction. Those houses are being built by Edmond Titspatrick Curraghballin the builder and contractor and at the present day December fourteenth there is not one unemployed and in that town. given to John Houlihan
Tinhalla
Carrickbeg
Carrick on Suir
Co Waterfordby Michael Hefferan
Retagh
Carrickbeg
Carrick on Suir
Co. Waterford

A great mower
This mowing feat took place about one hundred years ago. A man called Bartholomew Colman occupied a farm of about eight acres at Creahanagh, parish of Carrickbeg. In addition, like most other small holders, he did odd jobs among the neighbouring farmers to add to his income. A farmer named Quinlan also owned a larger farm at Crehanagh. This farm is presently occupied by Mr. Joseph Nugent. Quinlan had a field of lowland meadow to be mown. This field is still known as the “Big Bog” and contains four Irish acres. Colman agreed to mow it at the rate of a shilling per day and it was understood between them that he would take four days to complete the work. He finished the task in three days and a half and received just the wages he earned three shillings and six pence.

On Tuesday of last week (25th January 1938) a great light appeared in the sky known as the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. They turned every colour red, blue, orange and gold. Sometimes white lines ran through them. Some fishermen said that it was the sign of a storm. This was right as we have had very stormy weather since that night. Others says that it was seen a few days before the Great War began and they said it was a sign of another War. It was seen like red streams of blood streaming down from the sky. There was another storm on the fourteenth of January 1938. It caused lot of damage on the Curraghmore estate. It knocked a good deal of trees and blew the roof off a house. The Aurora Borealis may be seen again in a week's time. There was a ship in great danger off Helvic Head on the night of the storm ( 14th January 1938).The lifeboat was called out to watch it. I watched it all night but nothing happened. The wind changed in the morning and it reached port safely. The ship was called Lady Belle. A good deal of slates were blown off the houses in the district of Carrickbeg and Carrick-on-Suir.from Mr Martin Bacon, Tinhalla

This bridge connects the counties of Waterford and Kilkenny at Fiddown. The Waterford end of the bridge is placed in the extreme eastern portion of the Parish of Carrickbeg at Brownswood. The bridge is remarkable on three accounts. First it is a wooden bridge, second it is a draw bridge, third it is a toll bridge. It was built in 1852 by the Waterford-Limerick Railway Company for the purpose of connecting Fiddown Station with Portlaw. In fact the station at Fiddown is still officially named Fiddown and Portlaw. The latter place is two miles distant from Fiddown on the Waterford side and was then of much more importance in industry than Fiddown as it contained Malcolmsons’ cotton factory which employed a large number of Workers. The factory paid its hands by leather tokens which were accepted by shopkeepers and bankers as legal tender. The construction of the bridge was economically carried out as the engineers made use of an island which stands in the centre of the river here. The centre of the bridge is a metalled roadway the two branches of the river being spanned by wooden archways. The draw bridge is on the Kilkenny side and allows steamers and ships to pass through on their way to

The local forge
There is only one forge in this parish at present. It is owned by Mr. Michael Brett, Rath. He owns the forge in Carrickbeg. There were two up to a few years ago. The second was in Tinhalla and it was owned by Mr.Houlihan. The Houlihans have been smiths for longer than anyone in this parish remembers. About six years ago this forge was in full swing. The forge is situated by the roadside and a stream runs beside it. It has a felt roof. The door is in three parts. It is in two halves joined together by hinges. In this way half can be opened and the other half shut. One of these halves is also halved and in this way it is in three parts. There is only one fire-place in it. It is situated on a “hob”. Horses and Donkeys were shod there. The smith used implements such as a hammer, chisel, pincers, rasp, sledge, anvil, bellows, vice and knife. Mr. James Houlihan was the best blacksmith in this locality about ploughs. The forge was burned some years ago but it was shifted into a different

The Franciscan House at Carrick was founded in 1336 by James Butler 1st Earl of Ormond.In 1447 the convent having fallen into ruin was restored but in 1540 the Franciscan House was suppressed by Henry VIII. The spire of this ancient church still survives a very curious structure rising from a single stone like an inverted pyramid of which the ground, The Convent was dedicated to Saint Michael.Though officially suppressed in 1540 The friars still remained around their old homes. The present Friary Chapel was erected in 1882 by the Rev Michael Fleming O.S.F. who afterwards became Bishop of Newfoundland. The ancient Francisan House at Carrickbeg is one of the few original foundations surviving to our own time.

The town is on the North bank of the Suir. The stranger entering Carrick by rail is favorably impressed by the first view and from the station one reaches the town through a nicely laid out park to New Street where are several places business indicating extensive trade. Bridget Street narrow and quaint, leading to Carrickbeg has a few good business houses and has the general appearance of a self-sustained thrifty village far from the competition of populous time. The industrial activity of Carrick is very insignificant compared with what it was 100 years ago, but for a town in a purely agricultural county depending for a living almost entirely on the farming classes its position is quite respectable. Carrick was governed under 9th (?) of the George IV before the Towns Improvement Act og 1854-5. It had fifteen Commissioners, five of whom returned from office every year. The annual election was held in October on or about 15th and the Chairman was elected annually on the the 3rd Wednesday in June. An area of over 2159 acres is liable ls taxation. In 1888 the valuation was L3154.18.0 on on the land and L5516 on buildings yielding a total revenue of over L430 and the rate for general purposes was 1/4 in the L1. Today 19/3 in the L.one.

1821. Mr. Thomas Bass
2. Ballycanew
3. Over 70. 4 Farmer.
5. Ballycanew. Ballycanew and Carrickbeg, near Gorey.
6. He saw the work himself
The people of Ballycanew provided their own light up to the time the candles now used came on the market
In early times they used strips of dry timber taken from dead trees which were found embedded in the marshes of the surrounding

The DecoyA small level field belonging at present to Patrick Daly of Rahoney.
Crannagolea large field with a well in one part situated in Dressogue
Deerparkthe field in which Rathmore Churchyard is situated. A high wall surrounds it and it was probably a park for deer when the neighbouring Castle of Rathmore was inhabited.
Stillparka field, triangular in shape, near Rathmore Church.
Gathnarabaa field along the narrow road from Rathmore to Jamestown Bridge. It at present belongs to Thos. Clarke.
The Revellannear Gathnaraba and on same farm
Armenialarge field in Cloneymore near Rathcarn school
Clonmellon / The Hanging Fieldfields in Cloneymore - Walker's farm
The Cruacanfield with small hill in Mooneystown - Manning's farm
Laneygorraprobably Léana Garridh - small field in Gillstown
Carrickbegon way across the fields from Moyaugher School to Jamestown
Bannon's Gardenat back of Moyaugher school - one field away
Ardluanalong road known as Boreen McCaura: behind Smith's cottage
The Winshoguefield in Milltown on Millian's(?) farm
Church Fieldthree fields near Moyaugher churchyard bear this name - one is in Finegan's farm, another in Millian's farm and the third a very large field in which the churchyard is situated belongs to Mr. Dolan