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The Schools’ Collection

This is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s. More information

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  1. (no title)

    “It is told that after the fall of St. Ruth in the battle of Aughrin, the British advanced from their position at Urrachree...”

    CBÉS 0055

    Page 0222

    surface, forty yards south-west of the fort on the west side of Aughrim Hill. They were afraid that it would fall into the hands of the enemy. Although it is supposed to have been searched several times, there is no proof of it having been found.

  2. Aughrim

    CBÉS 0056

    Page 0330

    Aughrim is a small village about four miles from this place, and it was beside this village on a high hill, the famous battle of Aughrim was fought in the year 1691.
    It was at the top of the hill St Ruth was shot and it was said that his head rolled down the hill and that an English soldier kicked the head down the hill and that they played with the head like a foot ball.
    Some time afterwards a bush grew on the spot where St Ruth was killed and it was called St Ruth's Bush. Some years ago it was said that it was impossible to pass this bush at night. It was supposed that the soldiers who were killed at the battle were to be seen there and that the battle was being fought every night. The people of the place got the priest to offer masses and to bless the place, since then, there is nothing seen except that a light has been seen on a few occasions. It appeared to be dancing around this spot.
    This bush is now faded only the skeleton remains. Tourists and others, who came to visit the place usually brought a piece of this bush as a souvineer and this is supposed to be the reason it decayed.

  3. Battle of Aughrim

    CBÉS 0059

    Page 0073

    Battle of Aughrim (Finds)
    After the Battle of Aughrim (1691), the Irish soldiers retreated to Limerick. After the battle some of the soldiers were wounded and died on the way.
    One day some work-men were making a road through the village of Ballyeighter. They found two sculls and a large number of bones and a battle-axe which was sent to the Museum.
    Got from Michael Moclair age 56, Ballyeighter, Bullaun, Loughrea.
    By John Moclair, same address on 22nd February 1938.

  4. Moylough Castle

    CBÉS 0077

    Page 260

    from Aughrim +Tadhg Mór Gallach (O'Kelly) from Castleblakney were first cousins of Tadhg Mór from Mullaghmore and (if) of O'Loughlin O'Kelly, who lived in Moylough Castle. They were said to be the three best Tadhgs in Ireland.

  5. The Landlord

    CBÉS 0079

    Page 403

    After the battle of Aughrim the soldiers who defeated the Irish army were compensated by getting properties. The landlord sent around collectors to collect rents. The people used to pay according to the amount of land they had. There were sixteen hiuses in the village of Sliabroe. On the fifth of July in the year 1884 the landlord brought fifty cattle and drove them in amongst the houses. The landlord knocked the houses and divided the land into farms.

  6. Local Heroes - Swift Runners

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 247

    John McNiff of Tullynaha, Ballinaglera, ran after a hare and caught him on the Tullynaha Bog. Mary McGourty from her grandmother Maria McGourty of Aughrim

  7. Singers and Storytellers

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 252

    Other singers mentioned in collections were Pat. McGovern of Aughrim whose favorite song was "The Boys of Wexford"; James McGrail, Slievenakilla whose favorite song was "The Isle of Saints"; Bartly McGourty of Slievenakilla whose favorite song was Willie Reilly. John Golden and Patrick McPartlan of Slievenakilla used to tell funny stories.

  8. Old Crafts - Basket-Making

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 274

    Basket Making:
    Some people used to make hand baskets for sale in years gone by. Simon Carrigan of Aughrim, John Comisky of Tullyvacan and Micky Rourke of Clerchan used to make baskets for sale.
    They used to boil the rods used in boiling water first and then removed the thin bark. The people of this district make baskets for their own use yet. When they are going to begin a basket, they just get a sufficiently strong stick and they split it in two halves. One half serves for the rim of the basket. Then they put it in a barrel for some time to make it round. Then they get a string and tie it and they hang it up for a few weeks in a dry place. They hang it up so that it might be seasoned. Then they get other fairly strong rods for ribs and bend them in a semi-circular shape and attach them to the round hoop. Then they select other fine rods for the basket and they start working the rods in and out through the ribs until they have the basket completed.
    (Cáit Nic Partalaín from her father, John Mc Partlan, of Aughrim, parish of Ballinaglera, Co. Leitrim)

  9. Old Crafts - Weaving

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 276

    There was a number of weavers in this parish until that time. Two brothers, John and James Mc Keon lived in the townland of Tullyvacan. There is no trace of the house now. Peter Flynn owns their land. A man named Michael Mc Gourty (known by the name of "Morning" lived in the townland of Aughrim on the banks of the Yellow River beside where the "Metal Bridge" is now. He was a weaver. Some of the walls of his house are still to be seen. The land which he owned belongs now to Michael Mc Grail. A named named Fehily was a weaver in the townland of Carntulla. He lived in a house belonging to Tom Flynn.
    (Francie Browne from his grandmother, Mrs. Susan Rynn, Aughrim)
    Note: When the flannel was taken home it was wet and "thickened". It used to be washed and pulled and rolled on a stick. Then it was taken off and used.
    {Brighid Ní Loughlin from her grandmother, Mrs. Brigid Mc Gourty of Tullynaha.}

  10. A Hidden Treasure

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 486

    A man named Thomas Loughlin of Aughrim says there is a pot of gold hidden on the banks of the Yellow River, Ballinaglera. He says a man who will be walking along the river at sunrise in summer, will see this pot of gold. He will have to spit on the pot to break the charm. Then he is to take it home with him. He is to keep the finding of the pot of gold a secret.

  11. A Funny Story

    CBÉS 0206

    Page 566

    The following incident happened about eighty years ago. There was no bridge across the Yellow River in those days. There were, however, fords in different places. It happened that on this particular morning a priest was going to a "Station house" in Aughrim. There was a flood in the river. So a strong, rough fellow named Tom Gaffry came to

  12. St Bride's Well

    CBÉS 0237

    Page 003

    St. Bride's Well is at Cloonfad School in the Parish of Aughrim and the whole district near it is known as Kilbride. People visit it every year and leave something belonging to them at the Well. There are three trouts to be seen in the

  13. Farewell to Cloonfad

    CBÉS 0237

    Page 317

    The following song was written about Cloonfad and its neighbourhood. Cloonfad is a townland in Aughrim Parish but borders Drumlion Parish. It is about five miles from Carrick-on-Shannon.

  14. Local Heroes

    CBÉS 0238

    Page 050

    by the foot and heaved him from the saddle. For this offence Sean was tried in Boyle and was imprisoned and publically whipped in the town. While he was in gaol the fame of his strength became known. In the County Sligo there was a tinker known as Arthur McDonough who was famed as a greater fighter with cudgel. Some gentlemen of the time arranged a fight between Sean and the tinker and it took place on the bridge in Boyle. Sean came on the day armed with a long heavy wattle with this he began to prod the poor tinker who was unable to use his blackthorn stick.
    In Aughrim graveyard there was a big stone and when funerals used to go there all the strong men used test their strength by lifting the stone. In Kilmacumsey near Elphin there lived a man named Patrick Dolan about seventy years ago. He was near seven feet tall. One day he was at a funeral in Aughrim and various men were trying to left the stone. He lifted it at his ease and then placed another stone almost as large on top of it and lifted both. He took the stone then and threw it over the graveyard wall and there it lies to this day.
    At Elphin Church stone throwing was practised every Sunday before or after Mass. The most

  15. Teampall Nua - New Church, Loughgur

    CBÉS 0517

    Page 018

    "Tá dá liam Daibus ann son-áir seo", or "Planxty Davis" which is known in Scotland as, "The Battle of Killicranky, 1766 The Breach of Aughrim also known in that country as "Farewell to Lockaber". "If to a foreign clime I go," "Gentle Mild Maiden," and that beautiful air that spin of Irish Melody "Réalra na Mairone", or the "Morning Star", otherwise called the "Dawning of the Day" and published in Bunting's Music [?].

  16. A Story

    “Long ago there was a castle in Ballyluskey and in it lived the Maher family.”

    CBÉS 0556

    Page 207

    Long ago there was a castle in Ballyluskey and in it lived the Maher family. The Mahers were great soldiers. One of them a man called Tadgh Maher was killed at the battle of Aughrim. His horse came home and brought Tadgh, whose head had been cut off, back to his native Drangan. He was buried in the old church yard in Drangan.

  17. (no title)

    “Many years ago there was a man living in Ballyrennan, Drangan named Tadg Maher.”

    CBÉS 0557

    Page 063

    Many years ago there was a man living in Ballynennan, Drangan named Tadg Maher. This man fought at the battle of Aughrim and was killed there. His black horse turned and galloped for home with the dead body of his master on his back. So he arrived at his home in Ballynennan. He was buried in the old churchyard in Drangan.

  18. Tadhg Ó Meachair

    CBÉS 0557

    Page 140

    Long, long ago Tadg O Meacair went to the battle of Aughrim on horse back. He went into the battle field and after a long time fighting his head got cut off. The horse left the battle field and found his way home to Drangan. When he reached the village he was recognised by the people who took him off his horse and buried him in the old church yard in Drangan and on his headstone is written Hic iacet Thaddeus I Meacair, which means here lies the body of Tadg O Meacair.

  19. (no title)

    “In his book the "O' Dwyer's of Kilnamanagh" by Sir Michael O Dwyer, Mr McCarthy of the National Museum, in a foot note states that Seán O Duibhhir was born at Glenahabline or Thory.”

    CBÉS 0584

    Page 097

    He further states that the modern names of these townslands are Glenough and Turnaheen. He had I suppose recourse to documents in the museum establishing the claim. It is also stated that he was an officer in the Irish Army and fought at Aughrim and Limerick. The house of Pat Ryan (Rue) Glenough, was built about 100 years ago from the stones of an old castle, the site can be seen today as the ditch around one side of it remains standing. It stood on the very boundary of Glenough and Torah. I can't help qoting one verse from the famous song:- "After Aughrim's great disaster
    When our foe in sooth was master
    It was you jumped in and swam the Shannon's boiling flood
    And thus Slieve Bloom's dark passes