There are about five forges in this parish. Some of the Smiths have been at this trade for generations. Danial Hynds has a forge in the village of Glasson, also Patrick Killian in the same village. Lenard Sammon has a forge in Kilkenny West. William Foxe of Ballinacliffy, and John Elliott of Tonagh.Some of these forges are situated at a crossroads, others near a stream, or on a roadside. There are many instruments in the forge, such as billows, anvil, sledge, hammer, and thongs. The roof is usually slated. The door is shaped like a horse shoe sometimes so that the passer-by will recognise it. The bellows is made of leather and wood, and the leather is fastened to the wood with little rivets. The place where he shoes the wheels is a little bit away from the forge. He shoes the wheels in the

He heard it from an old man
William Rhatigan.
Vera Killian 11 years.

The late Luke Killian of Fermoyle was the strongest man in Co. Longford. There were 40 stone of wheat put on his back and he carried it.
The late Billy Scelly, Carraigeen used to throw a 1/2 cwt across his house.
The late Michael Dignan, Thureen was

carried seven and a half cwts from the old ruin in Fermoyle to the road a distance of 30 yds.
swift runners
Jimmy Conolly of Thurreen won a race against Champions winners. Great walkers
My father and Dannie Killian walked from Fermoyle to Ballymahon, a distance of 9 mile. They left Ballymahon at ten clock to attend a meeting in Longford, a distance of ten miles, getting disappointed about being carried. After the meeting they had to walk home from Longford a distance of 12 miles.

The name of my townland is Derrygowna. Derrygowna means wood of the calf. The number of families in it now are eight. The total population being thirty. The name most common in my townland is Sweeney. All the houses are thatched, except one, which is owned by Kate Sweeney. The owners of the other houses are:- James Sweeney, John Sweeney, Patrick Shanley, John Kilduff, Patrick Ball, Michael Ball and (Michael) Thomas Killian. There are no people over seventy in it. Over thirty years ago there were over thirty houses in my townland. There is not a trace of one of them now. Here are the names of some of the people who lived in it long ago:- Domnic Sweeney, P. Heavy, Nellie Cunnigam, B. Nolan, H. Downer, Easter Barbric, and Dan Connelly. There is a large portion of bog attached to my townland. There are about one hundred acres of land in my townland. My townland is situated in the main road from Newtowncashel to Longford.

Christopher Farrell Killen lifted a twenty stone bag on his foot and threw up on two other bags at Killian Mill. This was about thirty years ago. James Morgan Rhine, Killoe, won the marathon race from Longford to Mostrim in 40 minutes. There was a race between a man and a horse 25 years ago. I never heard of a man catching a hare or a rabbit. J. Morgan also jumped the Camlin river which is about ten yards wide. He also jumped six feet high. James Quinn mowed 123 stooks of corn in a day. Francis McCabe mowed 2 acres of meadow in one day. Joseph Casey Ohill Killeo is a good step-dancer. He learned it from Thomas Harte. Michael Murtagh is a good singer. His favourite songs are, "The Highland laddie" and "My bonny Scottish lass". Hugh Gendlie Rhine used to be a good story teller. He used to tell his stories to Master Greene who used to put them in the local paper. One story is, "King of Spain and the Goblins". There was a man who had a pass through another man's field in Clonahard. The latter tried to stop him from using it by putting a wicked bull in the field. The man said he would use the pass. He took a stick and went into the field. The bull chased him to the hedge. He jumped across hit the bull in the eye and jumped back again. The bull jumped after again and the man hit him in the other eye. Then he beat the bull to death. Those were two well known Rells, "Miss Mac leod Real" the slashing real. Two hornpipes "The Liverpool Hornpipes" "The Kerry boys jigs" The Connaught mans Rambles and "bony Kate"

Story
Some time after the so called Protestant Reformation Mybolgue being for centuries a great Catholic burying place. Was about to be taken over forcibly by those who changed their Religion, headed by planters from England and Scotland. A protestant burial was the signal for this grabbing. As was done in other parts of Ireland namely in Mullagh (St Killian's) there, by giving the rights to persons of the new found Religion. But Mybolgue still followers of the St Paterick on hearing of the approach and perhaps burial gathered in such force with only sticks and stones met the funeral party and told them peceably, that as the man became a Protestant that is changed his religion they would not allow him to be buried there. The result was a free fight took place. I might here add, that the protestants came well armed but were routed. They got leave to take the corpse with them. They got such

I have heard from the old people of this district about a giant who lived in Corraduffy. This giant is supposed to have been buried in a farmers field in Killian. Over his grave their there is a heap of stones which the people never touch.
I have heard the following story about a certain giant who played a trick on another giant.
Once upon a time two giants were going to have a great fight to see which of them was the stronger. When the appointed day came round one of the giants got afraid. This giant lay in a cradle and told his mother to begin rocking him, and when the giant would come to pretend that he was the baby. When the other giant came to fight, the mother of the giant that was afraid said that the giant would be home in a little while and for him to wait if he wished. But when he saw the size of the baby he thought that the giant was an awful

261
LandlordsThe Baggot estate contained the lands of Mallyree, Coalpits, Attyfarry, Gorteenruchan, Slievemuire, Monastermalea. Cappagh and parts of the lands of Killmore, situated in the barony of Killian and County of Galway. There were ten houses in Mallyree but the people were not able to pay the heavy rent and the land-lord evicted them. There were ten other houses in Sliabh Muire, and the people were evicted also. There was a man in Mount Mary who would not pay his rent because his house was built on a boundary. One morning the land-lord sent his agents who burned the house in which the man was sleeping and the man perished in flames. The place where the house

My native village is Gurteen. It is in the parish of Mount Bellew and in the barony of Killian.
There are twenty houses and all are slated. There is a population of one hundred people. The most common family name is Crehan. The type of houses are low bungalow type with the exception of a few that are two storeys high.
There are a few old people in the village such as my grandmother and grandfather. They know a little Irish but can tell no stories in Irish only in English. There are some ruins of houses in from the road where people lived in the penal days.
Some young people emigrated to America where they lived for some years and returned again to Ireland.
The land is level around my home and it is good for tillage. There ias a bog about a mile away.

St Manachan is the Saint connected with this district. There are Churches and ruins left in the district.
The Protestant Church was built with the stones that were in the Abbey that St Manachan built.
There are some ruins left also of a Monastery. There is a big high tower left. This Abbey was built in 608 and it was used until 1621. Then it was destroyed when all of the monasteries were being knocked.
There was a abbey built in Farnaught by St Morris. Clon Morris is called after St Morris.
St Killian built an Abbey in

In times gone by.Mary Killian
Cullawinna,
Athleague,
Roscommon

of the fire except on rare occasions when they used dipped rushes for candles. The teaching took place in a small house with one window on it. The teacher's name was Slater. He used to sleep in the school that he taught in. He taught reading and writing and a few simple addition sums. The pupils gave him a penny a night, and three sods of turf for part payment. The highest book they had was Reedam a Daisy. The master used to teach each pupil separately. The teacher remained in the district until he died of old age. There is no account of the old ruins.There was a school in Tonagh near the house now owned my Michael Finn. The ruins of that school are still to be seen. There was another on in Ballinagee near the house of George Killian. Thomas Hacket taught in one these schools. Other teachers called poor scholars went about from house to house teaching for there meals and bed. After a time these poor scholars became teachers and taught in schools.

mill-race. There is another at St. Martin's well called St. Martin's stream.
Old Hollows
There is a hollow in Danny Killian's field in Fermoyle called Lugun. There is another in Michael Kennys field in Ballanahinch called Glenanummer.
Old Hills
There is a big rock in the Turlough called the red rock. There is another in Michael Brennan's field in Cullentra called the rock of Cashel.

Psalm is got on Psalm Sunday in the Church. It is hung near a Sacred picture, or Crucifix, at a Holy Water Font or at the head of a bed. A week before Christmas the house wives in Ireland decorate their homes with Holly or ivy in celebration of Christmas. There is a sugar-bowl in our house which belonged to my Great Gradmother. It is a 100 years old.
On the night of the 6th of January some people do this. They bring in a cow-dung out of a field. Then they make twelve rush candles, one for each of the twelve days of Christmas. Each person puts a mark on a candle and sticks it in a cow-dung. Then they alight the candles, and recite the Rosary. The first candle to die signifies that the person who marked it would die first. The same is done to the rest till the last one is dead. Then the cow-dung is put over the byre door bring good luck on the cows. This is carried on nowadays in some places.
The Patron Saint of this parish is St Brigid. The local Church and Loughill N.S. are named after. She was disgraced once, and to show that she was pure, she carried coals in her apron from Ardagh to the pound of Killian without burning a hole in it.

Clonlisk and Ballybritt. Birr was headquarters of the chief."They were a hospitable, fierce, yellow haired race, to whom the neighbouring tribes were compelled to pay tribute". Birr - the meeting place of the Camcor and Brosna, was also the meeting place of the Kings of Ireland - Munster and Cashel.Ely had it's patron saints, St. Killian of Birr, St. Ciaran of Sier Kieran being the chief.
Kinnitty was one of the frontier fortresses of the O'Carroll sept. The principal fortresses of the O'Molloys were at Broughall, Eglish, Kiltubrid, Dowras and Le Porte Castle. These castles were on the frontiers of Fearcall facing Delvin - the county of the MacLoughlans.

Fairy hunts have been heard frequently around the Mansion, Innistioge, Woodstock & horsemen have gone through the gate (Woodstock) after shouting "Gate" which was the signal the Gentry used to have the gate opened by the gatekeeper. Riders have been heard galloping, gates flying open, hounds barking & the horn blowing.
Horsemen have galloped past fishermen returning home in the dead of night & these riders were certainly no living men. But it is said ghosts or spirits have often been seen around Woodstock: and people tell of seeing headless men riding on horseback.(c) Another fairy story of an event which occurred about 50 years ago. - a tragedy rather.
One moonlight night a young boy named Killian native of Killeen Innistioge and a good looking boy too, was returning home, when a young lady on horseback galloped past him about the monuments near which there is a Rath. For a joke he said "Will you let me up behind you ?"
He got no answer, but next day he felt ill; pined and died soon after, so it was believed that it was no earthly being, but a fairy who passed him that night & that he was taken by the fairies.

About seventy years ago there was an OReilly girl living in Mullagh. One moonlight night she was accompanying the maid to milk on their farm about one mile on the Mullagh - Moynalty road.
The place was where St. Killian's park now stands. On one side of the road there is an iron gate and on the other is the park lane. As they were walking along, a little woman dressed in white crossed the road in front of them.
She was crying sadly. The maid at once fell on the road as she got weak with the fright. It took no effect on the little girl that was with her.
However, next morning she awoke to hear from her father that her mother had died suddenly during

This murder took place about the year 1758. The man who was murdered by this society, was married twice, and when he was married secondly he used to give no living to the children to his first marriage. In this society known as "The Mollies Men" is/are supposed to have been some relations of his first wife and they murdered him because he was bad to his family. This man whose name was Doc Meehan was supposed to have been a farmer.
At sunset every evening an unearthly roaring used to start beginning every evening on the same spot, supposed to be the killing place of the man and ending at the Altcor road. When this roaring used to start the cattle grazing on the hills used to run for the house, the ground, the old people say used to begin to shake and the delph used rattle on the dresser. This roaring used to last until mid-night. The people of this district were in great terror until the Púca was put to rest by the prayers of a priest by the name of Mc Goldrick.
The man who was coming from Ardara on the night on which the Púca was murdered, met the Púca another night, out behind the Killian Hills. When he met him, the Púca wouldn't let him [past?] until he asked him questions, and on answering them he was left off. This man's name was

Local Marriage Customs.
Thatching is still going on in my district. Match making is generally carried out by the friends of the bride and the bride-groom. From the sixth of January to Ash Wednesday is generally the time marriages take plan. Money is generally given as dowry in my district. Stock or goods are not given. I do not remember marriages in the houses. Straw boys visit the houses and they are received very kindly and are given refreshments by the people of the house.
Mary Killian.
Cullawina,
Athleague,
Roscommon.