Hollyfort Church is called Saint John's. There are several vaults in the churchyard and Hunter Gowans is among them. He lived in Mount Nebo (which is now Mount Saint Benedict) about half a mile from Hollyfort village.
He was noted for his great cruelty during the rising of 1798 and was killed by a fall from his horse at Kilmichael Bridge. Our churchyard is shaped like a rectangle and there are trees in it also a well.There is a very old churchyard in Kilnahue about a mile and a half from Hollyfort. There are graves in it from the Famine time. Sometimes old people are still buried in

There is a place near Hollyfort which is known to the people of the locality as "the Pionntrocawn". It is probably a corruption of the Irish phrase "An fhionn Sruthán" meaning "the white stream".
There is a river near Hollyfort which contains a lot of white sand. It is tributary of the River Bann, so it is believed that the name is derived from that river.

At Pallas, near Limbrick, Inch Co. Wexford and about five miles from Hollyfort there is a large circular earthwork which can be seen rising above the surrounding county - It is generally known as "The Moat."

The local roads around here are The Kilmichal Road, The Monaseed Road, The Annagh Road, The Arklow Road, and The Courtown Road.There is an old path, from Hollyfort to Craanford, and it is called "The Mass Path.
It is about four miles long, and it is there a very long time.On the road leading to Carnew, at Ballyellis, in the 1798 rising, the Irish ambushed the English. The Irish did not lose one but there were a number of the English killed. Inside the ditch there are a number of English graves, and in the top of the field there is one called The Black Man's Grave," and no one knows how he came to be with the English army, or who he was.On the Craanford road about a mile from Hollyfort

Over twenty years ago or perhaps more, a stone axe was found in Mr. Walsh's bog by William Barrett, Toberpatrick, near Tinahely. It is now in our National Museum.Two stone querns were found on the land of Mr. David Charles, Laraheen, near Hollyfort, Gorey, Co. Wexford. Thet are still in his possessionMr. Alec Kidd, Hollyfort, Gorey, Co Wexford unearthed a stone "implement" circular in form. He has still got it.
Roughly these were found over fifteen or sixteen years ago.Flints were dug up on the farm of Mr Oliver Pierce many years ago: I cannot find out where they are now. This farm is in Ballythomas, Wicklow Gap (Tinahely, Co. Wicklow) and is now owned by Mr. J. Keating.
M. Vaughan
Jan. 1939

125My Home DistrictHollyfort is the name of the house. Marshalstown is the name of the townland. Scarawalsh is the name of the barony. The most common surname is Nolan or Murphy. Slate Houses are most common. Houses were more numerous in former times. The land is hilly. The big river is the Slaney.Name: G. Lett Age: 12
Hollyfort,
Enniscorthy.

It is generally believed in this district by everyone living in it, that a battle was fought in a field close to the road now belonging to Mr. George Mordaunt, Curraghlawn, Kilpipe Parish about four miles from Aughrim
I cannot get any information as to what period this battle was fought in some people telling me they think it was 1798In Hollyfort Parish, Co. Wexford another battle was fought on the farm belonging to Mr. W. Kidd.
Cannon balls are said to have been found there and on the same farm part of an ancient corn mill

There is a legend in this district that the Raparee known locally as
"Freyne the Robber" had a cave on Conna Hill from which he made his raids. The cave is supposed to go for miles across the county to Crosspatrick but the entrance was blocked up some years ago.
Conna Hill froms one side of "Wicklow Gap" about five miles from Hollyfort village and about nine from Tinahely.

On the side of Carrig hill, in a field near the Ballythomas Road, Wicklow Gap, there is a fairly large ring to be observed. This is generally known in the locality as 'The Fairy Ring' and it is never interfered with in any way. I cannot so far however get any legend connected with it. A few perches away in a field owned by Mr. Martin Byrne of Craan on the opposite side of the road, there is another fairy ring plainly to be seen in the grass no matter what crop is in the field. This ring however never seems to be connected with the 'Good People' by anyone in the locality. Mr. Lawrence Kinsella of Ballythomas, Wicklow Gap, tells me that it is believed to be the remains of a Raheen which must have been at some time there.

In Hollyfort (Co. Wexford) locality there is the remains of a raheen close to the residence of Mr Charles Webster - Great Grove. The family tradition about this is that about five generations ago the rath was ploughed. Following this act by the Mr. Webster of that times, the family was annoyed and greatly disturbed by

There is a very industrious smith who has a forge in Hollyfort, and his name is Mr. O'Neill, and his father Mr. James O Neill who is now dead used to have a forge at Kilmichal cross-roads. The forge is situated at the bottom of the street. It is about 2 perches from the cross-roads and there is a stream running down by the door. There is one fire place in the forge and it has a very crooked and patched roof on it. The door is a horse shoe shape and it is in two parts. Out-side the forge there is a small platform, and in the middle of it there is a hole and on this the wheels are shod.Some people say that forge water is good for curing warts or bruised blood in the flesh of a humanbeing. Forge sparks will cure a horse's foot that is very sore from the gravel of the road.Many years ago an old forge

is near Wicklow Gap, and the raheen there is called locally "The Fairy Ring". In the school girl's essay on "Strange Animals" mention is made of this raheen and the superstitions fear with the appearance of an animal there was regarded.There is a small raheen at Wicklow Gap on the side of Conna Hill, near BallinabarneyOn the farm of Mr. David Charles, Laraheen, Hollyfort, Gorey, Wexford there is a large ring of earth, with a high bank and circle of trees. It is facing east and under one part of it there is a hollow sound. In the farmyard there are several notched pillar stones which Mr. Charles' family told me were taken from what THEY called "The Druids' Altar".
The stones are of this shape - (Diagram of stone) - and are in use at present propping a shed. The circle is close to the farmyard. I cannot obtain any information from the local

from Ballyconran, along by the edge of the graveyard to Clonamona, but only the remains of the lane are to be seen at the present day.Writer James Mc Nally.
Informant.
Mr. A. Doyle [ 90 ]
Hollyfort, Gorey.

girls in it, if there was room they would dance all night. Halloween is the most joyous feast of the year.Writer : Stasia Greene.
Informant.
James Kinsella. [ 89 ]
Hollyfort, Gorey

Forges.There is a forge in Monaseed. It is situated at the cross-roads. Ned Kavanagh is the name of the present smith. He is a middle aged man, but he has not been working in this forge long. He had another forge in Monaseed, but it was situated nearer to the school. Mr Kavanagh gets a large amount of work to do in this locality. Most of the farmers in the neighbourhood come to get horses shod or ploughs mended, or to get something made or repaired.There is another blacksmith's forge in Hollyfort. The name of the present blacksmith is John O'Neill. The door entering the forge is composed f dressed granite blocks formed in the shape of a horse shoe. This forge is a very ancient one. Mr Hempenstall worked in this forge before the present blacksmith, and another O'Neill worked in it before him. He probably worked in it before him. He probably worked there in 1798. It was erected by Lord Powerscourt for the convenience of the tenants.

Hunter GowanIn the year of 1798 an infamous man named Hunter Gowan resided in Mount Nebo /\ near Hollyfort. On the first Sunday in May he led his corps down to Craanford at the time when the people would be congregating for mass.
The little church had a thatched roof and the people waiting outside expected to see it going up in flames. However, Gowan ordered his men to nail up the door. His orders having been carried out, he turned and faced the poor down trodden people and announced in a solemn voice, "There will never be another mass said in that church, you may all go home now."However, he was proved a false prophet for not only was mass said in Craanford but before a century was passed, a chapel was opened in his own house at Mt. Nebo now known as Mt. St. Benedict./\
now known as Mount St. Benedict.

46The Parish
The name of this parish is Marshalstown. There are twenty one townslands in this parish. These are Marshalstown, Tomakippeen, Tomadilly, Farmleigh, Skehana, Tomahurra, Coolnahorna, Scarawalsh, Ballinahallin, Clovas, Ballyorrel
Milehouse, Hollyfort, Marley. Pullingstown, Pullingstown, Ballinure, Ballydaw, Clonjordan
Ballinakill, Ballywilliamroe.

Hidden Treasure There is a cave in the Blackstairs Mountains and people say there is treasure in it. The name of the cave is Catherues Den. Catherue is the name of a man who lived many years ago.1. Mr G. Lett
2. Hollyfort
3. Farmer

A Distillery
The used to be a distillery in the Still near Enniscorthy about a hundred years ago where they used to make
whiskey. Mr Jameson owned it. There are some of the remains there still.
1. Mr G Lett
2. Hollyfort
3. Farmer

124purple or white blossom. And most kinds of thistle have very sharp thorns.
Ragweed grows in the fields and has a yellow flower.
Charlock or " preslough" as it is called here grows in the corn with a yellow flower which blossoms in summer.
Docks grow both in fields and ditches. The leaves are smooth and a glossy green in colour.1. Mr G. Lett
2. Hollyfort
3. Farmer