I know where there is a very large building near the Meetings of the Waters. and it is called Castle Howard I think it is the largest building around here.There is a big wood surrounding it has two large towers one is a small bit away from the Castle it is called the Clock tower. and the other is connected with the Castle.It has an under ground tunnel going from the kitchen to the garden .and there is a great portion of the Castle under ground. I often heard it said that the Castle got it name from Colonel Brooks Howard. because he was the first owner of it that anyone remembersA man named Mr Lefroy is living in it now. Miss Johnson lived in it before Mr Lefroy bought it. There was another English man named Dorcy Sloane lived in it some years agoMarch 15th 1938

Castle Howard is one of the finest buildings in the district. It is also a very old building. Some people say it is over a hundred years ago since it was built. It got its name Colonel Brook Howard who was one of the owners of it which its name impliesThere are a lot of stories in it and there are also a lot of rooms in it. Some of it is down under the ground. There is a tunnel going through the castle and it connects it with the garden. There is also a tower at the back and there is a big clock in it which rings every hourWhen the tourists visit Avoca district: they always pay a special visit to Castle Howard and they claim it is well worth it as the grounds are very beautiful

The residence of Colonel Howard Brooke is to be seen yet in Cronebane. We know this place as Castle Howard. It is a huge building, several stories in height, and there is a portion of it underground, and this is connected with the garden by a tunnel.The building is a very strong castle with a tower at the back known as the block tower. From this tower rings out the hours, day and night. The house is in the centre of a woodland district, about ten minutes walk from Moore's Tree, and the Meeting of the waters.This is one of the Castles built by the English, on the line from Corballis to Glenart, that fact seems to be forgotten because the people only remember it's first owner as a lady Howard. Then a Colonel Howard Brooke and so on until the family died out.The ceiling and library at Castle Howard are very fine. The former being of French design. The view obtainable from the castle turrets baffles description.When Colonel Howard Brooke owned it, Miss Johnson cared it for him and when he was dying he left her a good deal of property

two miles from the castle at Bracklyn.
This Howard Fetherston was one of the tyrant type of landlord, and it is said he was returning on the evening of the tragedy with notices of authority to evict all his tenants next day.
It is also stated that his blood stains are still to be seen in Bracklyn Castle.
In connection with this murder of Howard Fetherston, several suspects were arrested, some of whom were transported, but it is said the person who did the act of shooting escaped to a foreign land.
Immediately after the burial of her husband ("Howard Fetherson") Mrs. Fetherston left Bracklyn Castle for England where she died some years ago.

Knock She Ban, or the hill of the white fairy, is the name given to a hill on the road between Killough and Killucan. This hill is supposed to be haunted by a fairy or white woman.
Some years ago (about sixty years) "Howard Fetherson" the grandfather of the present owner of Bracklyn Castle was returning in his carriage from Killucan station. and when he came to this Knock Shee Ban hill, he was shot by some men who were awaiting in ambush in the woods which are close to the hill.
His coach man drove home the carriage containing the dead body and was not able to throw any light on the tragedy. At the time the shots were fired his wife "Mrs. Howard Fetherston" was awaiting him in Bracklyn Castle, and at the actual time her husband was shot, she heard a carriage approaching the castle, but on going to the door was disappointed as there was neither carriage nor horses to be seen.
The scene of the tragedy was about

There are many mountain roads in this district and each one has a name of its own. The principal road of them all is the Lodge Road which leads to AvocaWe have also The Back Road, The Mine Road, The Spink and The Glebe Road. The Lodge Road is very level and sheltered. It begins at Conary cross roads and ends at the green. There is a crossroads at the green. One road goes down to the White Bridge, the other to Avoca and the other to Castle Howard.The road leading to Castle Howard is called The Spink. The Spink is very stony and rough. It is not a very good road for cars to travel on. The Back Road is alo very stony and rough. It is called The Back Road because there are three roads together and it is at the back of them all. The Back road leads to Avoca and it also leads to Castle Howard. They named the lander because in olden times there used to be a lander that carried the water across the scunts. The Mine Road is also a very rough and stony road and bad for cars to travel on.December 13th 1938

There is a great place of interest situated about three miles from Kilmacoo. Castle Howard is the name of the place. There were people living in it by the name of Colonel Brooks Howard.It is a beautiful big place surrounded by lawns and woods. There is a massive big New found Land dog stuffed in front of the hall Door. In the top of one of the big towers there is a big clock which strikes every hour.It is lovely to walk on the beautiful lawns in the Summer I was often down at Castle Howard in the Summer time.March 15th 1938

An Tulac Mor.Four and a half years ago my family came to live in Kildare. Before that we lived in Tullamore (An Tulac Mor) which means the big mound. Ten thousand people live in this district and they are very nice and agreeable with each other. The most common name is Kelly. It is well known through out the town and country. The houses in the town are very up to date and amongst them are large shops and a few fine hotels, but the country houses are just thatched. No very old people live in the locality at present and none of them speak Irish. A famous ruin is there called Charleville castle. It belonged to Colonel Howard Bury. This castle is famous in history, as it goes back to old desendants of the Colonal. The place is surrounded by a large demesne with a deer park enclosed. On the opposite side is a beautiful lake. Charleville castle is a quarter of a mile from the town of Tullamore. This demesne provides great amusement for the sportsmen, for they come from all parts of Ireland to shoot game. This shoot generally lasts for about a week. The principal game is pheasant, grouse and rabbits. They indulge in deer stalking too. There is a place called "The Grotto", which is under-ground and the Dean's bed made of stone are there. The grotto is level

Castle Howard situated on a hill overlooking the Meetings of the Waters and the Vale of Avoca was formerly called Dunavon. This ancient structure or residence a patrimony of the erenachs of the O'Byrne Sept inhabited in 1600 by the [?] of Glenmalure, mother of Feach McHugh O'Byrne the celebrated mountain chief, was fraudulently and violently after the death of the Chieftain, by the Earl of Ormonde who sold the ancestral and domain to the Irish branch of the Howard family.Given by J.P. Kenny,
Ballyknockan
Rathdrumfrom a book he read about Art McMorrough O' KavanaghThe ceiling and library of Castle Howard are very fine, the former being of French design. There is a fine view from the turrets.

I live in the townland of Derrynalicka and in the Parish of Kilmurry Mc Mahon. There are about 20 houses in this townland. Long ago there were over 30 houses about 10 per cent are slated and the remainder are thatched.
The most common surname in this townload is Mc Namara. This parish is called Kilmurry McMahon from the Mc Mahon clan who lived at Clonderlaw long ago. About the seventeenth century there lived a woman called Mary Mc Mahon in the castle at Clonderlaw. The ruins of the castle are still to be seen in Mrs Gore's field. Mrs. Mc Mahon was supposed to be very cruel. She used to hang people on a tree in Johnny Moloney's field. The tree is still to be seen there. It is called "Crann na Crochadh"
There are many people over 70 years old in the parish. These are a few of them.Dinny Howard (90 years)
Derrynalicka
Kilmurry Mc Mahon,
Co Clare.Peter Connell (75 years)
Derrynalicka
Kilmurry Mc Mahon
Co. Clare.

Red Earl built this castle.
The period to which this story relates is when a chief the name of Howard lived in it.
A neighbouring chief called O'Farrell came to it and waged war on the inhabitants who put up a stubborn fight.
One day the besieged people rushed out and fought a very bloody battle, and to this day human bones are to be found in a field called "Céimcloch". This field gets its title on account of the stones that are scattered so plentifully all over it, and under

I live in the Townland of Annagh in the Parish of Churchtown and in the Barony of Orrery and Kilmore. There are eight families in it consisting of thirty two people. The most common family name is Howard.
There is only one thatched house in it and there are seven slated houses. There was a village in Annagh long ago. There is only one house standing of the village now. There was a linen factory there also. It is also said that there was a castle there.
There were more houses there long ago than there are now. But there is no trace of them there now. Many of the people went to America long ago. The land is good but some of it is bog. There is a river in Annagh called the Awbeg.

Ballymac is a very big townland. It runs for more than a mile at both sides of the river and is very deep (that is wide). That field opposite us belonging to Johy Fay. (Tullovin castle) is called Mescall's field. Mescall lived above there on the side of the hill on the old road and the whiteboys shot him. They say they buried him in that field and that is why it is so called.Ned Shea's field near the big comneen(?) is called Howarddeen's field, because Howard, the whiteboy was born there. 'Tis how 'tis the "Howardeen" they call it.

The Lios Field owned by Patrick Browne of Redwood and near Redwood Castle but on opposite side of road. It has never been ploughed or tilled within living memory. Lights are seen in it at night and unbaptized children were buried there. There is another Lios in Tom Martin's field, quite near, and lights are supposed to be seen going from one Lios to another.
Peter's Hill in Ballymacegan. A man named Peter Howard supposed to have been killed accidently at this spot. It is also known as Howard's Hill.
Corrigeen: a hilly district about a mile distant from Redwood School. The surrounding district was divided into farms by the Land Commissioners, and a family of Kings, formerly herds under the Local Landlords have a farm known as Corrigeen Hill. Patrick King an old man of 80 yrs. is one of the oldest men in the Parish.

Motto Stone stands on the top of a big hill situated in the middle of Tigroney mines over looking Castle Howard, Meetings of the waters. Avondale and facing Rathdrum. It is flat on the top, and has six Iron steps going up to it.There are a lot of stories told in connection with the Motto Stone, here are some of them. It is said that Fionn Mac Cumhaill and his men were on the top of the hill of Tara, and they were throwing Quoits and That Fionn Mach Cumhaill threw this stone and it liton this hill and it was called Motto Stone.It was also said that the hill where it is was a turf bog and when all the turf was taken out of the hill the stone remained. It goes down for a drink every May morning to the river.

Historical Events.
Many centuries ago in pagan times some Druids had their hiding places in the grounds of Castle Howard, Avoca Parish, Connary Townland.
There was a great forest there, and many wild animals deer, lions, tigers, and many others roamed in these forests.
One day while some of the Druids were fighting, a lion sprang out and killed them and ever since that day, the place is called. "The Lions Archway."
Phyllis. Kearon, "Singleton", Arklow, Co. Wicklow
I got this from - Helen O'Conor, Ferrybank, Arklow.

The Local Landlord
Henry II king of England granted Connaught to a Norman knight called William Fitz Alden de Burgo. He came over and settled down in a castle in Portumna and the lands around this place are still owned by his descendants - the Clanrickards. In former times these great landlords owned all the land from the Shannon to the sea. Some of the family lived at Meelick, a small village about a mile from Portumna. Previous to the norman conquest - the district was ruled by a chieftain named O'Madden.
The present owner of the estate is Viscount Howard who inherited the property on the death of his uncle in London.
The second last Clanrickard is spoken of by many of the old people here as, a rather kind, generous person. He treated his tenants with humanity, until one of the candidates whom he supported in an Election was defeated and after that he grew oppressive and tyrannical.
At this general Election two candidates went forward. French - a Protestant was

Nugents. There is a square forth, it was there that the Castle once stood.
In the next townsland, in former years it was owned by a man named Howard, one of the fields is called the camp field, the soldiers used to camp in his field in the year 1798, they killed the cattle and roasted them on gates which they took from the people around.A legend : There was a protestant Minister settled between Rathowen Edward and the Glabe House, he used to follow the people in a horse and car over ditches and hedges, no Minister could stop in the Glabe House until he was settled. It was Father McCann that settled him, he only lived four months after it. It is supposed that if a Catholic stands on that bush he is at free liberty again. No green leaf ever grew on that bush since.The legend of the bush :
There is a bush in Loughinstown which is called Mr Guishe's bush, and this [is] how it got its name. One night there was a man named Barney McGuish, and as he was passing by that certain spot, he

Tubbersool (Eye Well)V convenient to this place.
In centre of an orchard.
Drains itself into another well situated along roadside.White thorn bush.
Local tradition - Cromwell, when visiting Gormonston Castle, came to well and profaned it by washing his feet in it. He also allowed his horse to pollute well. The well dried up and remained so for many years. A priest visited the place some time after and blessed this well. Immediately the water returned and today it is overflowing.As in Balscadden- people use this water for eye troubles.Mr Howard living nearby supplied me with above information. He has it handed down from his grandfather dating back over 100 years.Same map as other well.

159Local Heroes.Esmond Kyan of '98 lived in Sam Tomkin's house in Mount Howard.
Father P. Roche lived in Mr John Fowler's farm in Monagrena. His relations (Roches) now live in the castle in Enniscorthy. This Father Philip Roche fought in 1798.This story was told me by my father
Mr Michael Gahan, (52 yrs)
Barona,
Boolavogue, Ferns,
Co Wexford.James Gahan.
[Same address]