Uppercourt demesne. On the road between Freshford & Ballylarkin. It is know as Bun-curusha (Cun croise) Base of Cross. In the 18th century the base was removed to Freshford Suqare where it still remains.
Sir William Morris built Uppercourt House in the 19th century near Uppercourt Castle. When the house was built the castle was ceased to be occupied.
Tobar-na-Biact or well of the monastry is near the road a little west of the town. It is reputed to have been a holy well. It is said that a saint slew a monster here, and that he was so exhausted & parched with thirst after the encounter that a well miraculously burst up. This well is called Tobar-Sochum or St Lochtain's Well and is a few hundred yards from Snesford beside the road to Kilkenny. Patterns was held there untill the 19th century.Kilrush (Cill Rois)
This belongs to the civil Parish of Clomantagh but is part of the parish church of Freshford. Kilrush castle belonged to the Shortalls untill Cromwell's time and after that to the St Georges, who occupied it till the present Kilrush House was built. The Castle is now in ruins. The Shortall name was originally Scorthal. They were of Flemish origin & probably came to Ireland with Fitzstephin or Strongbow. Robert Shortal had a grant of Ballylarkin in 1202-1218. Mr. A. Shortal died in France with the "Wild GEESE". He belonged to the House of Ballylarkin the

Long ago it was the custom in this locality to go to Kilrush across the Shannon every Sunday. They used go there ina small boat and it was very dangerous.
One Sunday a big crowd including my uncle Daniel OSullivan went in a small boat to Kilrush. When they were coming home a great storm arose. The boat which was very light turned on one side. The captain Michael Hayes was telling the men to go on the side which was turned up and keep the boat from turning over.
The boat could not come into Saleen Quay as the wind would be blowing too hard against it. The boat stopped outside Carrigisland as it would not go any further. The men had to swim into the island. They all landed safely but the boat was lost.

sensation which a drowning person must feel.
Their cries were heard by a few people on the mainland who had no way of going to their assistance. Their cries grew fainter and fainter until at last there was not a sound to be heard as in water had closed over its victims. For days after bodies were picked up along the shores they were all found except one who was supposed to have gone out to sea. This awful disaster was remembered for years after by the people in this Parish and surrounding parishes and so it ended the pleasure trips to Kilrush. Nobody knows what was the cause of overturning the boat but some of the Kilrush people say that some of the party were drunk.

In this locality over forty years ago, the young people of the place had a great fancy for crossing the Shannon to Kilrush in small boats on all the pattern days such as the 29th of June and the 15th of August and on several Sundays during the summer. On the 15th of August 1893 a party of seventeen including young boys and girls and the owner of the boat, who was a middle aged man left tarbert for Kilrush in high spirits.
They landed over safely and had a great day of sport, they started for home in the evening which was glorious with scarcely a ripple in the water. When about half way across the boat overturned and threw all its occupants into the water. Then it must ahve been a horrible sight to see them all clutching each other in a terrific effort to escape that awful

also the common belief that this huge Monster could cast stones over a cwt weight from the Island to the town of Kilrush - two miles distant. Senan quickly banished this Monster to Lough Doo (Doolough) near Mount-Callan. There is a valley named Gleann-na-phista near the present town of Kilrush associated with this Monster's exit from Scattery Island. Senan's life in Scattery was one of rigid mortification, prayer and teaching and the fame of his piety and learning soon attracted Scholars from all parts of the Country and even from the Continent to be taught by St Senan and his associates so that Scattery earned the reputation of being a famous seat of religion and learning. No woman was allowed by the Saint to live or even land on the island while he lived. A kinswoman of his own who lived in Holy Island (Inis Caltra) in Lough Derg made a set of vestments for him and when she had them finished she desired to present them to him in person and asked his permission to do so. He refused and told her to put the vestments into a box and float them down the River Shannon. This she did and the Box with its precious contents duly landed in Scattery Island and Ste Senan took possession of them. Tradition also tells us that when this saintly kinswoman of the Saint (her name was St Cannera) felt her end approaching she came to Scattery Island to receive the last Sacraments from St Senan but he knowing (by devine power) of her approach and intention met her before she landed.

Scanlan had shown her on that same night and which she (An Cailán) told her were given to her as presents on the previous day at Kilrush by her husband. Mrs Walsh also knew that An Cailín had not returned to Glin with her husband and Shampy. She then made it her business to meet Scanlan on some pretext or other and asked him casually (as it were) where his wife was. He replied that she had gone to Kilkee with his sister on a short-holiday. Mrs Walsh knew (as indeed all the people of Glin) that Captain Scanlan's sister would not associate with his low-born wife. She (Mrs Walsh) then became alarmed for the safety of An Cailín Ban and resolved to pursue he enquires. She paid a visit immediately to Ballycahane House where she made it her business to find out if Scanlan's sister had gone to Kilkee. She discovered that she had not. She again met Scanlan and told him she had just seen his sister - whom he stated was in a holiday in Kilkee with his wife - at Ballycahane house. Scanlan them "confided" in her - that he did not like to tell her at first what really happened but he would do so now on the promise of secrecy. He stated now that his wife had eloped with the Captain of a vessel whom she met at Kilrush leaving all her extra clothes and purchases behind her. Mrs Walsh did not believe Scanlan's second story no more than the first but as the body of An

day's outing with the husband to whom she was apparently very much attached. They rowed to Kilrush where they spent the day and in the evening when about to start for home they met some people on the Kilrush harbour (natives of Glin) looking for a boat to take them across the River. Scanlan who knew them offered to take them across in his boat. They accepted his offer. During the passage across the weather became very stormy and they were forced to put in at Carrigafoyle near Torbert on the Kerry shore where they spent the night in a public-house. During the night one of the occupants of the boat Mrs Ellen Walsh saw (as she afterwards stated in her evidence at the inquest on An Cailín Bán and at the subsequent trials of the Scanlan and Sullivan for murder) the drunken sot Sullivan try to force the ring from the finger of An Cailán Bán. Mrs Walsh surmised that this ruffian would not dare to insult Mrs Scanlan in this manner except he knew that Scanlan no longer cared about his wife. Mrs Walsh then became suspicious and fearful for the safety of the unfortunate girl. She resolved to keep a watch on events. She could not say or do anything as she had only her suspicions and if she mentioned there she knew the powerful heir to the "Big House" would hear of it and she would be the sufferer in consequence

Long ago shops were not as plentiful as they are now. When the people wanted goods they had to go to Kilrush for them and also when they had goods for sale they went to Kilrush.
There were a few public houses in the country long ago, and they were called "sheebeens." There were three in the townland of Leitrim, one was owned by Mary McCarthy, and one by by Biddy McGrath.
Drink was very cheap at that time. Whiskey was only four pence a

Long ago there were very few shops and the people had to go to Kilrush for goods. They brought home a supply of food for a month or two. There were no markets in any other ["place" interlined with carat in different hand] but Kilrush and the people brought their eggs and butter to the market and sold them. They sold their eggs in hundreds and their butter in firkins. There were only two shops in Kilmihil namely Dennis Ryan's and Tommy Daly's
There were very few public houses in the country at that time. These little public houses were called "Sheebeen's" There were two of these

to Kilrush. She spent a few nights in Kilrush and while there she dreamt again about the gold. Something seemed to be urging her on and telling her the gold would be gone by the time she would reach the castle. So she started on her journey again, until she came to the bridge. She saw the ducks in the water, as she had dreamt and she went into the house opposite the bridge, and inquired of the people where Dangan Castle was. They directed her and told her the gold was to be got during the Elevation at second Mass. They told her to go to the Parish Priest, who was saying first Mass at the Church at that time. So she continued on again to Mount where the church was and on arriving at the church, she met the priest and told him about her dream. She asked his advice on the matter. She told the priest she should get it during the Elevation. The priest told her, "Go back to your home and it is praying you should be during the Elevation, instead of doing the devil's work. So she said to the priest that no one will ever get the gold but an O'Doherty.

When I was a child I often heard my grandmother tell me the story of "St. John's Well" which is situated at the present day on the left bank of a river which runs through what was formerly known as the "Vandeleur Demense" and now the property of the "Department of Forestry" near the town of Kilrush.This well was formerly in a field of Vandeleur's known as "the Paddock." This field is on the public road which runs from "Steward Street" in Kilrush on to Moyne Quay and Killimer. This field is now the property of a Mr Macnamara who lives in "Cosy Cottage." This "Cosy Cottage" was formerly the residence of Vandeleur's chief Steward and hence the name of the street "Steward Street."St. John's well" was in the centre of the "Paddock" and as Vandeleur was a Protestant he hated to see the people coming to the well and performing rounds and leaving pious objects after them. To prevent this he ordered the well to be closed. The well then removed close to the boundary wall (a sod fence in those days) and the people again came and performed rounds. Vandeleur again ordered the well to be closed and built a high stone wall of solid masonry from the extremity of "Steward Street to the "Cricket Field" a distance of about a mile and a half. The wall in question

The shops were very few in olden times. There were two shops in Ballymakea, one in Shandrum, one in Craggane and one in Annagh. These shops were called huxter shops and they used sell in small quantities.
They used sell small goods near the church on Sundays after Mullagh Mass. A woman used sell after Mass.
Money was not as plentiful long ago as now. Sometimes they used swop goods instead of money. A woman named Mrs Mary O'Leary who lived in Ballymakea used walk to Kilrush about fourteen miles with on a basket on her back and she used be knitting her stocking going and she used have the stocking made when she arrived home in the evening. She used bring home the goods she used sell in the shop such as bread, soap, candles, and other things. In the Summer of the year she often made this journey four times a month and she used get the goods. They used bring their corn to Kilrush market long ago. The poor farmers had not any

Not long ago there was a family living near Kilrush and the bread ran short on them in the evening. So the servant girl got up at five o'clock next morning. She went out in the garden to cut the corn. She cut it, threshed it, sieved it, ground it between two cairins (queirns) made a cake of it, baked it, and had it on the table for the man and woman's breackfast.Paddy Coleman, Tullaher, Moyasta, Co. Clare .
Walked from Kilrush to Limerick and from that to Newcastle in a day. The he took lodgings in Newcastle that night. It was Saturday morning he started. He got up at about five o'clock on Sunday morning and walked to Foynes, took a boat there and came across the Shannon. When he landed

About forty five years ago a terrible tragedy occurred not far from this parish when eighteen people were accidentally drowned in the Shannon. They were natives of Kerry and it appears they left their homes one fine Sunday in Autumn with the intention of having a tour of pleasure on the Shannon as far as Kilrush.
They landed safely at Moyne Quay and the proceeded to Kilrush where the spent the day. When it was towards nightfall they returned back to their boats in order to get home before the dark. One man got nervous of going across and he remained behind. The boat was only a small one capable of accommodating about eleven or twelve persons at most. They left the quay and proceeded in safely until they reached the current of river and then they disappeared. It is not rightly known what happened them but some people say it was how the boat was overturned because an empty boat was seen passing Limerick. Some of their bodies were recovered afterwards.

Long ago there was a man living near Kilrush by the name of Charles Martin who was tenant to Mr Vanderluer and both of them were dead. One night a man was coming home late from Kilrush and he had to pass by this house and as he was passing it by he thought as if he saw Mr. Vanderluer having chains around Chrales Martin and he beating him and the man started to run and a light followed him. When the man reached his house he got sick and nearly died.
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In the year of the famine three men came across from Tarbert in a boat to Clare for the purpose of stealing some turnips which belonged to a landlord. They filled three bags and put them on their backs and started for the boat. As they were going to the boat they had to cross a fence when they were about to cross it something suddenly happened at them and they could not walk nor talk and they had to stay there until next day and they got alright and they went home. This happened not far from Killimer.

About 60 years ago a Scotchman named James M. Laughlin came as ganger with a mining expert to quarry flags in Knockerra.
The mining expert failed, and Mac Laughlin made up his mind that he could do better if he got the assistance of the workmen and carters. He was financially weak and because he was an interprising man in whom they and confidence they went to work with a will in a different part of the quarry and succeeded beyond all expectations. Local small farmers carted the flags to the Quay in Kilrush from which they were sent in schooners to Glasgow, Belfast and other centres. They all waited for their pay until such time as he Mr. Mac Laughlin got paid for his first schooner load, when he paid every ma n what was due to him. He continued the work, got more machinery, with the result that he had about forty men working ere long. The carter continued to cart the flags to Kilrush

Kilrush after delivering the District box in Kilrush, and purchased harness tack there, which he spilled along the road to puncture the bicycles of the scouts. This he succeeded in doing. Crowley had a relay of horsemen at different points on the journey who followed the box and succeeded in preventing the extraction of the extra votes.
Crowley was waiting at the Court House in Ennis and charged him (the P. Officer) with interfering with the box, the wiring of which was broken. The box was then rebound by Crowley in the presence of the Returning Officer and the County Inspector of Police, and locked in the strong room. When the box was brought forward next day; one of the County officials said "this is the box all the noise was abut last night and we'll want a smith to open it!! Crowley presented him with a pliers by which he cut the wires and when the notes were chequed 17 extra votes were found in it marked with a heavy blue pencil mark while all the other votes were marked with ordinary ballot pencil. The matter was reported to the L. G. B. and permission asked of the

There were not many strong men of any frame in Kilrush in former times. At least we do not know about them.
There were two great men namely Patrick Mc Mahon and Mick O Brien who were natives of kilrush. About fifty years ago Patrick Mc Mahon joined the British Army in the Munster Fusiliers. After receiving his training he was drafted to India and there was remarkable for his prowess in sport. He excelled all men in weight lifting, throwing weights high jumping and boxing. When he was about to come home there was a discussion amongst men of various regiments as to who was the best man in the regiment, English, Scotch, Welsh and Irish. From the experience of men in different regiments it was decided to settle the issue by having an Irish and an English man compete. Patrick Mc Mahon was chosen for Ireland. He fought a long and stubborn battle and ended by knocking his man out. He was then considered to be the

The local landlord was Mr Vandeleur. The Vandeleur family had been in the district for about one hundred years. Mr Vandeleur was first looked upon as a good landlord but he began to raise the rents. The people there were not able to pay any rent until they should get a reduction. The reductions was granted still the people were not satisfied and wanted to get a further reduction but it would not be granted. Then the landlord evicted the people. A family in Killimer named Cleary was evicted. Mr Vandeleur and a great number of soldiers came to the house and began to bang[?] the house with the battering Ram. The house was barricaded and the soldiers were banging it until they put a hole in the wall. They would have knocked it all but the battering Ram broke. Then the soldier told the people that were inside to come out quietly and they did so, then they were taken to Kilrush Bridewell. There were two girls among the people that were brought to Kilrush Bridewell and Rev-Fr O'meara

[MEMORABLE SCENES IN THE WEST CLARE CAPITAL RECALLED][THE BATTERING RAM IN ACTION]Preparations for the evictions are being made on the Vandeleur estate. All the stabling attached to Kilrush House, the ancestral home of the Vandeleur family have been fitted for the accommodation of a troop of Dragoons, who with a hundred men of the Berkshire regiment, will assist the evicting force. Over a hundred tons of coal have been delivered at the house for the use of the soldiers. The tenants are resolved to offer a determined resistance. Nearly one hundred tenants are under notice of eviction and operations will commence towards the end of the month. Since the preceding was written a large force of police have arrived, accompanied by several emergencymen. They brought with them the large battering ram which had been obtained by the sub-sheriff, together with a quantity of beds and bedding. Extra forces of soldiers, mounted and infantry were also expected. Additional notices have been served on the relieving officers in the Kilrush union, bespeaking