The Massy Family
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Page 038
In 1810 the Massy family bought the Hermitage, Castleconnell, on the banks of the Shannon.
The Schools’ Collection
This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. More information
Results
66 results
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Funny Stories
CBÉS 0523
Page 115
Many years ago a man lived at the Spa in Castleconnell
Hurling and Football Matches
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Page 107
There was a match played in Castleconnell in olden times between Murroe and Castleconnell. There were twenty one at each side. When the Committee wanted to pick a team they would put two townlands hurling each other and the best of each side would be picked for the parish team. Castleconnell won. The best players for Murroe were John Hartnett, Patsy Power, Tom Gleeson and Dan O'Brien. The best players for Castleconnell were Paddy the Farmer and Andy Mackey.
There was a match played in Kilteely between Murroe and Caherline, and Murroe and Ballybricken played in the same place. The same day Ballybricken got a few minutes rest and they hurled them after hurling Caherline. Murroe were the Champions that time. They won every match they played. Pat Ryan Beg and Pat Ryan Farmer were the best men in the field. The day they hurled in Kilteely the score was six goals to nothing. The day they hurled in Limerick the score was five goals to a point.
Old Crafts
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Page 245
Long ago Castleconnell had a flourishing industry, fishing for salmon and eels. The salmon fishing was the most important, because they fetched a very great price. The me had big fishing-rods and certain baits the most important bait being the prawn. It was like a small yellow fish that lives in the sea. Men of Castleconnell used make rods and other necessaries for fishing. The fishermen had gaffs and nets to bring the fish safely to the boat.
Transport in Early Days
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from 1912 to 1930 would be about 30 tons, and during war times these eels sold at 2/6 per pound.An old inn called the Hawthorn near the Spa Castleconnell was used as a final stop for the stage coach from Dublin to Limerick. The old inn supplied the final relay of horses to Limerick City. The stage coach road was not the present main Dublin to Limerick road.In 1890 and later the jarvey with his horse brought sufficient people to Castleconnell to drink the Spa water there that a thriving town sprung up and one thousand families lived by accommodating the visitors. A German scientist pronounced the waters as the most famous in Europe but it was afterwards condemned as undrinkable when Lisdoonvarna became popular. Oars cannot be used in boats in the Shannon at Castleconnell becaue of the rapids. For generations the men have used along pole to propel their boats
Old Songs
“Farewell to Castleconnell”
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Page 171
Authority Noreen O’Carroll CastleconnellMany songs are written about Castleconnell. Here is one which was written about one hundred years ago by a schoolmaster named John O’Kelly. He wrote it as a farewell to Castleconnell before he left Ireland for a foreign land. It is sung to the air of a Scotch song named “Annie Laurie”.I
Farewell to Castleconnell,
That merry place of yore,
So famous for its waters
And beauty haunted shore!
Sweet village, fare thee well!
To Shannons banks adieu
Its pleasant streams and greenwoods
I never more may view.II
In boyhood’s happy moments
When I was free from care,
Old Graveyards - Burials at Teampall Nua
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Old Graveyards:
Burials of Teampall NuaCaptain BailyCaptain Baily was a renowned duellist in his day and had many associations both in Lough Gur and Castleconnell, Co Limerick. He died in the latter place and the people of that place determined to bury hime there although he desired to be buried at Teampall Nua. Great was the consternation of the people of Castleconnell when the village was invaded by a large body of men from Lough Gur who forcibly rescued his dead body and brought it to Teampall Nua where it now lies interred, within the ruins of the old family vault of the South Eastern corner of the Cemetery. Note from John Cloney (carpenter), Grange, Kilmallock:Captain Bailey (or Baily) was a native of Lough Gur, somewhere near Ballingirlough. He married a wealthy lady in Castleconnell.
Local Happenings
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Page 228
One night as two men were going across to Clare the boat overturned. Both men got caught under the boat and they were drowned. The boat was seen floating down the river and two men rowed out and got the bodies.In the year 1905 the Ferry-man at Castleconnell got into his boat to cross the river. The water was very high at the time and the man was drunk. When he did not return a search-party was started. Next morning they found him fast asleep about a mile down the river. The boat was pulled up on the bank beside him but the paddle was gone. Everyone in Castleconnell said it was a miracle but he said "The cat came back.
Transport in Early Days
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Page 231
In early days when emigrants were going to America from Limerick the route taken was by canal boat to Killaloe thence to Portumna and Shannon Harbour and across to Dublin. They then sailed to Liverpool whence a liner took them to America. The journey took from six to eight weeks.From Killaloe large shipments of corn (barley) took place twice weekly on a boat called the 'Fág a' Baile'. This boat was capable of carrying three hundred tons but could not proceed further than Shannon Harbour. Practically all the corn from North Tipperary was sent by this route to the Distillery and Brewery. The largest quantity of eels exported in one year to Billingsgate from Castleconnell was sixty tons. The weirs at Killaloe and Castleconnell were then rented by Mr Mackey from the Board of Works and he had a peculiar boat made to bring the fish to Dublin. It was water tight at either ends but where the eels were stored was perforated with small holes. The fish could always reach the London market fresh by this means. The average quantity of eels caught
Severe Weather
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Page 235
Authority. Mr. Mackey Castleconnell.In the year 1880 the river from O 'Briens down to the World's End was covered with ice after seven weeks hard freezing. The ice was so strong that after the frost had stopped the people were able to skate on it for three weeks The year after, 1881 the people of Castleconnell witnessed the hottest summer it being 110 degrees.In 1915, The year after the begginning of the Great War there was a severe snowstorm in which a man and his nephew perished. It started snowing on Sunday morning and everyone thought it would clear in a while but it did not. The man said that he must go home or (hid) his people would be anxious about him so he and nephew started out but they were only half way when they were covered by a snow slide which smothered them.
Old Schools
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Page 237
Authority Mr. J. Hickey Derreen Castleconnell.Long ago there was a hedge school situated at the bottom of the Sandpit Hill, Goiug. The local name for the school was the Round plump. This hedge school was situated in the townland of Castleconnell in the open air. The names of the teachers were Patrick Kelly and Thomas O'Brien but they were not strangers. School was not carried on in the farmers houses and the teachers did not lodge in them. The way the teachers were paid was that the children brought a penny each every week and in the Winter they had to bring a few sods of turf. The subjects that were taught in this hedge school were Reading Writing and Sums and Irish was not spoken by the Masters or puipils. The books used at the time were "The Primer and the "Reading Made Easy".
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“There is a cross-shaped vault in the old churchyard near Castleconnell.”
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Page 261
There is a cross-shaped vault in the old churchyard near Castleconnell. The man that is buried under it is supposed to have carved it out for his grave. It is at the bottom of the churchyard. There is an ornamented coat of arms at the Spa over the spa well. It is the shape of a cat but the head is knocked off. There was a man working for De Burgo of Clanwilliam who was sacked and before he left he cut the head off the coat of arms.
There is a mark of St. Patricks foot under Woodlands about a quarter of a mile from Castleconnell. This rock is by the river side and St. Patrick blessed Clare from it. There is another stone that St. Patrick killed a snake on and the mark of the snake is on the stone. This stone is in Hermitage in a field near the railway
Holy Wells
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Page 419
419the one near Castleconnell but now there don't many people go there3/ They used to perform rounds around these wells4/ There is a song about the one near Castleconnell. It is called St Simeon's Well. Go further eastward proceed if yo willUntil you will come to St Simeons holy wellWhere blind lame and weary there cure has come to pass.[?] be buried in Castleconnell near the fall of Donass.5/ Nearly every disease was cured there. There were alot of crutches which the people left after them6/ They used to drink the water and bathe in it.7/ There were crosses and [?] left there
Hidden Treasure
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Page 089
In Loungnalane, a lake island about seven mills from Castleconnell people say a barrel of gold is supposed to be hidden. There is an under ground tunnel from a fort leading to this island. One day two men
Funny Stories
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Page 124
In Castleconnell there lived an "abac". His name was John Shepperd. One day he was in Limerick and as he arrived at the terminus the train happened to be full of British soldiers leaving Limerick. Now John had a peculiar head and face, and when he went
My Home District
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Page 156
I live in Castleconnell in the County Limerick, and barony of Clan William. We find about forty houses in the Village all of which are slated. Some of the families are very big and comprise to make the population very great. About two hundred people live here. Ryan is the most common name of the district. There are a few old people in the parish some of which are.
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“Long ago there were many more thatched houses than there are presently.”
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Page 157
Long ago there were many more tatched houses than there are presently. Houses were more numerous then but some of them went to ruins. Some people built new houses lately and bought the stones of the ruins for that purpose. People did not imagrate during the famine. Castleconnell is mentioned in the song "The Falls of Doonass" as the Falls are very near the Townland.
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“I live in Derrylusk in the Barony of Clan William in the parish of Castleconnell.”
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Page 159
I live in Derrylusk in the Barony of Clan William in the parish of Castleconnell. The approximate number of families in the townland are four, some of the houses
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“I live in Woodlands in the townland of Stradbally.”
CBÉS 0523
Page 160
I live in Woodlands in the townland of Stradbally. The parish of Castleconnell in the Barony of Clan William. The number of families livin in Stradbally is eighteen. The family name most common is Ryan. The townland got its name from all the beach timber growing there. The people over 70 in this
Local Happenings
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Page 225
One day Miss Taylor who lived in the Waterworks came up to Castleconnell to get some messages. It was late when she was going home and when she was near the canal she saw a white figure waving his hand. She walked towards the figure, but she walked into the canal and was never seen since.