The name of my townland is Turrock. It is in the barony of Athlone. There are six families in my village. There are forty nine people in it. There are six thatched houses, and four slated.
The old people say Turrock got it's name from the forest of the yew tree, but it seems more likely to us that it got it's name from the hills all round it.
There are three people in our village over seventy years of age. they do not know Irish, but they can tell stories in English. There names are Peter Mac Donnell, Mrs. Killian, and Mrs. Naughton. They have the same address, this is it:-
Turrock,
Ballyforan,
Ballinasloe.The ruins of four houses remain. Two of the families went to America, and the others died at home. The land is hilly, and good. there are a lot

Jany. 1st 1934.
Kelly, 12, O'Keefe, 7, Dooley, 7, Stack, 6. Walsh, 5, Gallaher, 5, Downes, 4, Whelan, 4, Gorman, 4, Flanagan, 3, Curtain, 3, Shanahan, 3, Chambers, 3, Halloran, 3, Behan, 3, Boland, 2, Mc Inerney, 2 , Sullivan, 2, Nugent, 2 Callinan, 2, Blake, 2, O'Donnell, 2, Killeen, 2, Sexton, 2, Cotter, 2, Honan, 2, O'Shea, 1, Costello, 1, O'Neill, 1, Flynn,1, Killian, 1, Carmody, 1, Darcy, 1 Healy, 1, Meade, 1, Egan, 1, Marrinan, 1, Donoughue,1, White,1, Neenan,1.Kevin. Kevin O'Keefe.
No uncommon names occur in this district.
Very dark, 6, Dark,54, Fair 43, Red,1.
Blue 68, Brown,36.

There was a woman who lived in Benagh named Mary O'Hanlon who was a hard worker She had not got any land of her own so therefore she used to take conacre from a farmer named O'Hagan. In this land she used to sow corn. When the corn was ripe each year she used to reap and tie an acre of it in one day. Her cutting implement was a hook.
(Ghost of Queen Maeve!A man named Walter Parks who resided in Killian was known as a good reaper as he cut two acres of corn in the one day.A man named James Mc Kevitt mowed an acre of corn in less than one day.A woman by the name of Mrs Boyle cut an acre and a half of corn and tied it and put it in stooks in one day.A woman named Mrs Feeney who lives in Maddoxland cut an acre and a half of corn in one dayThere was a man who lived at Rampark shore named

Punt an Woolly
Raheen
Sgeiteen
Bull Fasac
Cooleen
Bonin na Bhotar
Croc na Killian

Straw baskets.
Made by Pat Killian at the [Bleaslyard?]. Straw was bought from a man named Murray and kept in shed near house. People bought baskets on Saturdays. Whips - were made from linen cut in thin strips and plaited. The [?] was called a "thong" and was attached to an ash handle. Lime-burning.
Limestone brough in asses' creels to lime-pit. Pit was dug in ground and had a big turf fire in bottom. Stones were thrown in and a second fire was kept burning on the top. Lime was burned in this manner in Cleary's Yard, Dominick St. and by Bennetts - Austin Friars' St. Some lime-burners were - Geoghegan, Brennan, Cole, [?] and Bracken all of whom [?] to the town. A pit of lime often made £5 sold at 4[?] per [?]. Nails - were made by a Mrs McLoughlin living in Blackacre. She sold them to cobblers in town and on market days sold them to country people in half dozens, dozens and hundreds. Another woman, Mrs Weir, made nails. She went to live in Killucan.

In Penal times the priests used to say Mass beside rocks, and under trees.
Mass Rocks
Mass was said at a rock beside St. Martin's well in Luke Killian's field Fermoyle. St Martin's footprint is on the rock still.
Mass used to be said beside Lady well Newtowncashel. People go to that well and do stations round it.
Mass trees
Mass was said under a tree in Tim Kenny's field in Aughaloughin. That tree is green all the year round.

An old man named Larry Killian lived in the field called "Larry's House" about one hundred years ago.
There is a small tree in Croneen from which it gets its name "Pats tree".
The "Big Meadow" gets its name because it is a very big field and is always a meadow.
The "Whinny field" is so called because it was full of whins long ago.
Paul's Plantation is called because an old man named Pat Kearney lived in that field.
In Tim Kenny's land Blenovoher there is a field called the "Priests Field" in which there is a Mass Bush that is always bloom in April. Mass was said under the bush in penal times.

on Saint Kilian's Day but their efforts failed. The well was forgotten about ever since. Here is one fo the poems about the great St. Kilian. I will write the first verse.
Nursed beneath an Irish mountain by an Irish mother's hand,Where the mild Borora whispers to the meadows of the land.Taught the music of the harper and the anthems of the blest,Killian grew as grows the ash-tree by the ruins of the west.
Matthias O'Reilly

Gortmore got its name from "The Long Meadow field". Lisean got its name from a big lis that was there in the olden times. There is another place called Cloonbinnis. In the olden times the people used to say that the grass that grew there was very sweet. After a few years it got the name Cloonbinnis.
Killaan got its name from St. Killian after he dying. Ashbrook got its name from the ash trees. How Rathglass got its name. There was a green rath there long ago and the people changed the name into Rathglass.Annie Ryan
New Inn
WoodlawnThomas Melody 75
Corrabane
New Inn
Co. Galway

Catrawn
Bonifaree
Balla Horian
Crág
Mercurry
Duhall
Croc na Killian
Currag Dubh
Mullac an Áoir
Cap ar Ranny

21
Place names not mentioned on Map.The Ault. A small wooded area in Shancarnon along the Borora River. The river falls over a rocky bed in this place.Gleann Dhu. A dark tree covered hollow in the road a Roundtree's, Rantavan.Garry Luther. A small field in the Clinton's land near the summit of Mullagh Hill.Baugh. A name given to part of Mr. Roundtree's land. RantavanPull-a-marla. A waterhole in Mr. Fox's field. RantavanThe Ciste Field. A field in Lislin. Treasure said to be discovered there, or some say, hidden there.The "The Back of Barney". A field in Mr. John Fleming's farm. Rosehill.Park na Leice. Now called St. Killian's Park near Mullagh.

Ballelaghan (baile aighidh-chaoin) = town of beautiful face or surfaceMalin (Malainn) brow of the hillGoorey (gadhrach) = abound in dogs or the place where goats were grazedDrumagee (Druim na gaoithe)= windy height or (Druim na gcaorach) ridge of the sheepBallagh (bealach) = road or pathway
Ballycrampsey (baile Uí Crámhsaighe)= Crampsey's town
Killian (Coillín) = little wood or (Cillín) = little church
Carrowmore (ceathramh mór) = big quarter land
Coolkeeny (Cúl Chaoinigh) =sheltered mossy place
Drumcarbit (Druim Corbaid) = Hill of the chariot
Drung (Drong) = place of crowds (used disparagingly)

One time when a man named Killian owned a ranch in Lickbla he evicted a number of poor people and Guards were minding the land. So the families started out together and drove the cattle out on the road. John Rielly composed the following song concerning it.
I
Now boys of old Erin you'r ne'er without fun
Since the night of the battle, of knapsack and gun.
Like cowboys you'r minding , your periods made
Since the days that were known as cowboy brigade
There's a hive of them herding a ranch in Lickbla.
II
One Sunday the boys were in very bad cheer
Said one to the other there's no one round here
Or where's the young people to make up a dance
Or to chat a young lady we ne'er got the chance
We are

Come all ye lads and lassies, come listen to my rhyme.
Its all about a pair of boots Kit Murtagh had sometime
The price of boots being very high and trade being very slack
When someone with the slight of hand, took them through the back.
When Lyons came down next morning he found to his dismay,
That a pair of boots upon the shelf has somhow gone away.
Next to come was Murtagh with jumps, and leaps and bounds
To report it to the Sergeant he thought he had good grounds,
He went up to the Office to send a message through.
That the shop was broken into by a dirty "rotten" crew.
The Sergeant when he heard the dreadful news said to Guard Maguire we have no time to lose.
For Murtagh is a decent man for him we'll do our best,
And they raided "Bulleen Killian" and

XVIII
"Not in anger but in mercy doth the Lord look down on all!
Bow in sorrow, O Guilana! as Magdalen weep they fall!
Thou shalt, like unto the flower withered in the freezing snow,
When the April sunbeams woo it, burst anew to youthful glow."
XIX
Rose up Gosbert and above him whirled his deadly flashing blade
'On to-morrow, God of Battles, I invoke thy potent aid
On to-morrow ere the mountains feel the last kiss of the sun
If I conquer, what they servant, Killian, sayeth shalt be done.
XX
Since a youth of beardless visage when I first girt on my sword.
None can say in camp or castle that I ever broke my word
Now thy blessing, holy Kilian," - and they knelt down one by one
While Geilara brooding vengeance from the banquet hall was gone.

For God was better to me than to most men you see
I was born neath sweet Mullagh Hill.South America's grand ,tis a wonderful land
Where Gods gifts are plain to be sen;
But theres only one land made by his own hand
That island eternally green
Now, most men grow old, striving daily for gold,
But it is not for wealth that I yearn:I'll be happy ,when dead if I pillow my head
in the spot where St.Killian was born
Sure ten times I would rather one clash from my father
Than handle a financiers bill;
Any my mothers kind smile than a millionaires pile
And I'll find them neath sweet Mullagh Hill.
The foregoing poem was written

Riddles.
1. Little red Nancy, sitting on a wall, the longer she sits the sooner she'll fall.
Answer. A candle
2. Black and white and read all over.
Answer. A newspaper
3. As round as an apple, as deep as a cup and all the people in the world could not draw it up
Answer. A well
4.Why does a cow look over a wall?
Answer. Because she cannot look under it.
5. Why does a hen pick a pot?
Answer. Because she cannot lick it
6. As sour as butter milk as green as grass. Riddle me that and i'll buy you an ass.
Answer. A sloe that is not ripe.
7. Under the fire and over the fire and never catches the fire.
Answer. A cake in an over.
8. Long legged father, round bodied mother three little children all the one colour.
Answer. A pot.
Mary Killian,
Cullowina,
Athleague, Roscommon.

496
Killains Hotel
I
I went into Forgney one day last July
After doing a long march from the fair of Athy
I was hungry and tired and my money was light
All I had was a shilling for my lodging that night
II
I went into Killians to try to take place
Now boys you will call this a common disgrace
When I asked for the lodging Mrs Killian said right
But mind you will pay me a shilling each night
III
When I got up next morning I thought I would go wild
No fire was lit and no kettle was boiled
I will put her name on the paper and make her do right
And give better fair play for a shilling a night
Annie Cormack Shinglass Moyvore

Headache - drink strong tea.
Sore eyes - rub with cold tea.
warts - put holy water on them, and say in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
Colds. drink hot butter-milk with sugar in it going to bed.
boils - Venice Turpentine.
Jaundice - Denistons Bottle
In St Brigid's well,
Driming,
Ardagh
Longford there is a cure for all diseases.
Wax, loaf-Bread, Fat, Bacon and Linseed are poultices for sores and thorns
The following have cures:
Burns: Ms Greens, Oldtown, Ardagh, Longford.
Miss Baxter, Killian, Ardagh, Co. Longford.
Ringworm: John McGarry, Moydow, Longford.
Cancer: Gregory Burke, Drumlish, Longford.
Jaundice: Alexander Tremble, Legan, Longford.
bone setter: J. Tague, Mohill, Leitrim.
Superstitios omens:
Rupture: Draw the person out under an asse's legs
Draw the person out under a briar or sally.
Warts: get someone to count them an they will go.
Bury a piece of bacon and they will go.

YEAR - AV ON ROLLS - AV ATTENDANCE - NO. OF CHILDREN TO 1 SQ MILE IN SCH AREA1918 - 68 - 46 - 4.6
'19 - 65 - 44 - 4.3
'20 - [?] - 42 - 3.9
'21 - 59 - 41 - 3.9
'22 - 56 - 38 - 3.7
'23 - 57 - 44 - 3.8
'24 - 57 - 37 - 3.8
'25 - 52 - 34 - 3.4
'26 - 51 - 32 - 3.4
'27 - 49 - 37 - 3.2
'28 - 44 - 36 - 2.9
'29 - 44 - 37 - 2.9
'30 - 44 - 36 - 2.9
'31 - 47 - 36 - 3.3
'32 - 43 - 34 - 2.8
'33 - 40 - 33 - 2.6
'34 - 36 - 30 - 2.4
'35 - 33 - 27 - 2.2
'36 - 35 - 30 - 2.3
'37 - 35 - 30 - 2.2
'38 - 40 - 33 - 2.6Managers
Father Sexton, Killuntin
Father Murphy, Glenville
Father OLeary Watergrasshill
Father Russell Watergrasshill
Father Murphy WatergrasshillTeachers from 1858
- Begley -
E Roche to '98 & Kate Mac Donnell
D OMahony 98
E Moynihan 98-04
P Moynihan 98-04
I Rogers '04-5
S. O Duinnsheibhe '05 anuasAssistants and Junior Assistants
Ellen Cummins Monitress
Hannah Forde Monitress
Lena Foley Monitress
Kate McDonnell Prinl Girls 1884-96
Hannah MacCarthy Prinl Girls Sch. '96-1908
Elma Forde J.A.M. 1907[?] -1912
Brigid Killian Asst Mixed Sch 1912-'25
Gretta Cunningham Asst Mixed Sch 1913-15
Sheila Weldon J.A.M. 1927-1936
Mary Roche J.A.M. 1933-1935
Kathleen Sullivan J.A.M. 1937-