139StoryOnce there lived a man in Ballinrobe and his name was Mr Toy. He had a man working in the yard for him his name was Patsy Quirke. They were having a big dinner. There were no good butcher stalls in Ballinrobe at the time. So he sent the yard man to Tuam for a leg of mutton.He had to walk to Tuam because there were no cars that time. He started by night. It was a bright moonlight night. At Killoshine he saw a number of people hurling. He looked in over the wall and said God bless your work. "I hope you are enjoying yourselves in there." A number of voices said "Come in Patsy Quirke as you have the good word for us" so he went in and joined them.He had the fun of his life. He thought they were only a few minutes playing. They all put up the hurls and said "Hie for France" and in a few minutes they were all landed in

These were bad years in every part of Ireland, but here in the west, where people were depending entirely on potatoes for food, their state was a sad one.
The year 1846 closed in gloom. It left the people round this district sinking into their graves in hundreds for want of food. It was in 1847 that the highest point of misery and death had been reached. Fever then set in to add to the horrors of famine.
My grandfather told me that there was not a domestic animal to be seen from Ballinrobe to Connemara - pigs and poultry had all died.
There were soup houses set up here and there, and soup could be got at one penny a quart, but many people died of hunger rather than go to the soup kitchens.
The soupers, as the people in charge were called, very often offered free soup to those Catholics who would change their religion.
One such soup kitchen was at Tourmakeady. There were soup kitchens in nearly every district, but in this district it was not made much use of as the people had a fairly good supply of oats, which they ground, and made oaten bread and porridge from it.
The Ballinrobe Workhouse was crowded and the deaths

This parish extends along the eastern border of Loughmask from the parish of Long to that of Ballinrobe with Kilmolara on the east. In this district are the great tumuli of Carnivore's, Killowen and Caherobert. In the old histories this parish is called Cala-Locha-Measga, and in Irish, Baile-an-Chala, the town of the Caladh, or "Port of Loughmask" or a landing place for boats.
The road leading to the lake is called "Ballin-Coirp" "the road of the corpses" because it leads to the ruins of the little church of Ballinchalla, which is still used as a burial place. A little to the west of this road is the ancient castle of Loughmask. The ruins are still good and from the top can be seen the beautiful scenery of the west.
The old people say that this castle was the ancient fortified dwelling of the De Burgo, or Burkes. The following writing may still be seen upon the chimney breast near one of the windows: -
Thomas Burke. I.N.S. 1618. Elles Butler.
The castle is said to have been built by one of the "English barons" in 1238. We are told that Edward De Burgo, the ill-fated son of the Earl of Ulster, was brought from Ballinrobe on the 19th April 1338, carried in the night to Loughmask Castle, and murdered on the third night at an island called "Earl's Island". His sister and heir then

Tom and Jim Moughan. They usually ask for metal.
Barrat used to stay over at the "Yon-Bag-Road
Clerys are tramps who live in Ballinrobe. The beg horse hair rags and bottles.
Collins lives in Ballinrobe they travel around selling flowers and Almanac's
Moughan goes around asking the people to let him clear their chimney
Mrs McEnerney goes around in a cart selling apple, oranges, plums and other fruit
When tinkers are getting charity's the say 'go mbcanniudhc dia a scór is go mba seachr fear a bheas rú Cliadhdin

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Roads
There is a road going from Hollymount to Cashel called the Yon bog road.
There was a road going from Hollymount to Ballinrobe up through Clooncormick on to Ballinrobe.
The time those roads were made the women used to go out working to earn their living. They used to get 6d a day for working. The people were very poor in those times.
Years and years ago our country was invaded by the Danes. In time to come they were banished, but here and there through

A Holy Well
The name of the well is "Tobar Ciarain". There is a well near Shrule and it is blessed.
There was a priest crossing there one day and he blessed the well. There are trees growing around the well, and the people did not like to cut the trees because they are very old.
A woman went to the well and it had risen and she would not take the water.
There is a well near Ballinrobe and it is blessed. The well is beside the road. The people near Ballinrobe go to the well every year and pray beside the well.
seanchaidhe Críoch

Name... Nick Name... Birthpalce.
Anne Birmingham. Anne Mhór She was from FeamoreMary Forde ... Marin.. Ballinrobe.
Nora Macdonagh.. Norin.. Cloontumper.Tom Curley.. Small Tom.. Ballinrobe.Tom White.... Fighter.... Tuam

It is said that in olden days any woman could jump up ,h, behind a man on a horse even though the horse was moving. One day in Ballinrobe, a number of British were u boasting about what they could do. A man named Ryan from Corthom came to them and he bet he could leave his hand on a horse's back and jump the horse. The soldiers bet a pound against him. He jumped the horse and got the pound.Stephen Murphy Dalgan told me this story ,Dalo, Daniel Kelly Dalgan

The principal roads in the district are the castlegrove road, the Kilconly road, the Lissaleen road, the Ballyroe road, and the Ratesh road. There are three old roads two of them are used yet but the other is but seldom used. The castlegrove road is steam rolled it starts in Tuam and and finishes in Ballinrobe. The roads were made long ago. Men and women used to work on them. Some of the workers on the roads used to get from one penny to sixpence. Castlegrove road was made in the bad times.

has to bring them up to the station and then he gets his money there. There is a market is every town once a week. Saturday is the market day in Castlebar. Monday in Ballinrobe. Tuesday in Balla. Wednesday in Claremorris. Thursday in Westport. Friday in Swinford. All kinds of things are sold in them markets. There is a certain place in Castlebar for the market it is called the market square. People before they bonahs to the market they have to wash them to make them clean.

things. There is a market held in every town once a week. Saturday is market day in Castlebar. Monday in Ballinrobe, Tuesday in Balla, Wednesday in Claremorris. Thursday in Westport. Friday is market day in Swinford. They sell all kinds agricultural produce. There is a certain place in every town for the market and this is called the market square. They sell potatoes, oats, turnips and hay, straw and cabbage plants. Theys sell all these kinds at so much per cwt.

Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife. One time the old man had no money to pay his rent so he went to Ballinrobe to sell a ton of barley. On the way he met a fairy. The fairy said he wanted barley and he would give him more for it than he would get at market. The man agreed. The fairy led the way into his fort. When the man went in the fairies took his horse and cart and told him to wait until the next day. The man said he could not as he had to go home to his wife. There was a fairy present who was just like this man. The fairies sent him home instead of the man. The wife thought it was her own husband. After a few hours he got sick and died. They buried him

There was once a man and his wife going to the fair of Ballinrobe with a cart of bonhams. The man was a short distance behind the cart. He was going along when he saw a “Leipreachan” coming out from under a tree. He followed him and caught him and asked him to tell him where he had the money hid. The “Leipreachan” told him if he would let him go he would give him any three wishes he would ask for. Then the man let the “Leipreachan” go and when the “Leipreachan” was coming near the cart the horse ran away. Then the man said I wish you would stop the horse no sooner had he said so than the horse stood still and that was one of his wishes gone. When they arrived at the town his wife saw a nice spinning wheel on the other side of the street and she said I wish I had that

Long ago an old man and his wife lived in this locality Once when the "gale-day" was drawing near he went to Ballinrobe to sell barley in order to pay his rent. On his way he met a fairy who said they wanted barley and that he would give him a better price than he would get at the market The man agreed and the fairy led the way into the fort. When the man went in the fairies took his home and cart and told him to wait until the next day. The man said he could not as he had to go home to his wife and that he had to pay his rent It happened that there was a fairy present who was very like the old man The fairies sent him home instead of the man. The old woman thought ti was her husband A few days after the fairy took ill and died in a few days. Early the next morning the funeral of her

I saw him first in the town of Ballinrobe. He had an old canvas bag under his arm and he wore an old pair of trousers and an old pair of tattered boots. When I came to know him better I found out that he lived with his wife and child in a tumbled down sack [?] by the side of the road.I saw him so often that I knew the grey disheveled hair which made blinds for his eyes and his lurching walk and his red sun tanned face. He was always shouting rudely [?] and laughing

that come into our house speak loudly and try to force you into buying. When he was gone I was very sorry that I did not buy some thread from him because he was very quiet and gentle.
There was a photograph in the paper this morning and this is what it said. "The body of an old man was discovered late last night about three miles from Ballinrobe near the village of Newtown. Markes on the body indicate that the deceased was knocked down by a passing vehicle. A suitcase containing thread,

It was in Ballinrobe I first saw him carrying an old canvas bag under his arm. He wore an old battered trouser, a grey jacket, and an old cáileín an his bald head. I learnt afterwards that he lived with his wife and three children in an old caravan on the roadside.After a while he was a friend of mine with black dishevellad hair over his grey eyes, his lurching walk, and red sun-tanned face. He shouted wildly.

There is a forge in Killawalla. It is thatched with straw but long ago there was no straw they used sedge for thatch. There is one fireplace where he does have a good coal fire. It is not a very big forge but a lot of people come to him to get there horses shoed. It is situated on the side of the main road which leeds from Ballinrobe to (wes) Westport. All the people of this district go to him to get their horses shoed. He has a big bellows

There was a man whose name is now forgotten. He lived very long ago. He had a fight with a priest once and he being so hot tempered went as far as striking him on head with a stick. A few days later the priest was removed to hospital and died from the effects of the blow which the man gave him. But it was not long after the priests death when the man got his own turn and he sent for a priest. He died just as the priest. No bell was rung for him and no one but his own were at his funeral. No priest read the dead prayers over his grave or even blessed it and strange to say when he was dead the hand that he struck the priest with never went down, and they had to make a hole in the coffin to let the hand go up through. He is buried in the ruins of the old chapel in Ballinrobe and his grave is to be seen to this day.

Armstrong and when they had finished Donelly said to John, I have met better ball players but a better runner I have never met.
John Armstrong won a silver teapot at each of the following places for running - at Ballinrobe, Balla and Castlerea