A Seventeenth Century Minister in Knockbride. Compiled from Tradition and other Sources by Thomas J. BarronIt is asserted by tradition that Rev. Alexander McWhidd (now spelled Mahood), was the first Protestant Minister in Knockbride Parish Church. Extant records do not verify this statement, as it is recorded that in 1622 the first Protestant Rector of Killan and Knockbride, was a Rev. Robert Taylor. However, as during the first thirty or forty years of the 17th century, the church as in ruins, the tradition may be correct in so far that Alex. McWhidd was the first minister to preach in the repaired church. In 1612 only Moybolge and Drumgoon churches were in repair in this part of Cavan; Knockbride was still in ruins in 1622, and when Bedell became Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in 1629 not five churches were fit for service in the whole Diocese, but all the Parish churches were repaired in Kilmore diocese before Bedell died in 1642, so Knockbride Church seems to have been rebuilt for Protestant worship about that time; and if Alex. McWhidd was the first Protestant minister (probably curate) to preach in the church, he must have come to Knockbride during the time Bedell was Bishop of Kilmore, that is, between 1629 and 1642.
While Bedell was Bishop he set himself to abolish pluralities in his Diocese. When a minister had several parishes the Bishop forced his to live on one, and to give up the others, or to provide curates. At that time an Alex. Cummine held the parishes of Knockbride and Killan. If Cummine had to give up one of these parishes, Knockbride would probably be the parish he would relinquish, as Killan had a greater population of British settlers. William Gillis became Rector of Knockbride in 1660, when Cummine seems still to have been Rector of Killan, so between 1629 and 1660 Alex. McWhidd may have had charge of Knockbride, although no record remains to that effect. As Cummine and McWhidd have the same Christian name, it is possible that there was some

One morning just after the milking,
A lorry drove down the boreen,
And the bailiffs and Gardai surrounded
That cow in her field fair and green.
But the cow she was calved on Kilmore's rocky crest
Where the wild winds sweep in from Tramore;
And the spirit of liberty lived in the breast
Of Mick Cassidy's cow from Kilmore.One glance round the home of her cowhood
One glance at Kilmore's rocky height;
And the spirit of liberty calling,
Convinced her the game was to fight
She would break through the cordon or perish
Horns lowered, then a rush and a roar,
The bailiff's are beaten, the Guards are retreating-
Hail, Cassidy's cow from Kilmore.She is safe in her home on the hilltop
But she comes at Mick Cassidy's call
And she hates "law and order" like poison,
And all the lads up in the Dail,
Little thanks she has got from the nation,
For the bouncing , fine calves that she bore;
And the price of a hide has punctured the pride
Of Mick Cassidy's cow from Kilmore.

Thomas Moylett, 12 yrs. scholboy
Kilmore, Newport
Kilmore, Newport
Father - a farmer
1934
55
Kilmore
1935
In Neefan mountains there is a cave in which ther is a barrel of gold guarded by a "priest". Two killed sofar trying to get it. one more to die before anyone obtains barrel.In Newport River (Abhainn na Daire Duibhe)[Black Oak River] there is a barrel of gold. Fitzgerald of Turlough Castlebar (hanged) tried to get it.Two sisters out of one house must not marry in the same year.There is a water horse or sea horse in Kilmore lake. It is like an ordinary horse. Was seen grazing with Spelman's mare Uncle of John Spelman used to see him in the morning . people used to catch and work them. Shod to prevent returning to water. Mam had one. She had three foals which were sold in the village. One day she neighed and the foals followed her into the water and disappeared.

immediately the man disappeared, the sheep went on as before, and just then James knew that he had seen a ghost.The Kilmore Banshee.
One night Tom Moran of Kilmore was coming across the "Rusky Bottoms; suddenly he heard moaning and wailing, and what should he see but a woman dressed in white hurrying along towards Jim Magan's house. At the same time Jim Magan's brother lay sick.
When Tom reached the house he was told that the man was after dying.The Trim Banshee.
While Mrs Weldon of Kilmore was living in Trim, she had to go out one evening at nightfall to milk the cow. Near a hedge she saw a crying banshee who came down

first lime and the best and won the prize.
I heard from Mrs McCabe of Cloonagh an old lady of 82 that her mother often told her that the Church before this was near the present one but nearer to the Kilmore road. It was a long thatched church and very wide as the congregation was large. It had one wooden altar and some statues. There was no separation in the inside and no sacristy: the priest put on the vestments at the side of the altar. The congregation knelt on the clay floor during Mass and when the church needed repairs the people brought straw and the thatchers did their work free also.
The old road that this church was near is called the Kilmore road although the road for 1/8 of mile is in the townland of Cloonagh and the oldest person never heard any other name given it and it appears that what is known as the townland of Kilmore now, extended in early times to beyond the boundary of this old church. Kill mor = big church.
I heard from Mr John Kiernan of Cloonagh that his grandfather was a member of the choir in the old thatched Church. A Mr Coyle played a flute. His father sang in the present Church and a Mr McNestney played a fiddle.
When a member of the choir died it was the custom

Penal Laws in Kilmore.Parish priests name - William Lamport. Place of abode - Lynsystown. Age - 33. Parishes of which he pretends to be the parish priest - Kilmore, Kilturk and Ballymore. Time of is secuving Parish orders - 28th September 1695. Place where he received orders - Lamore, Spain. From whom he received orders - Dt. Ferinando Manuel. Sureties names that entered into recognisance for such priest according to teh said act - Dudley Balclough Esq. of Moghhotty: Thomas Sutton of Wexford.Above information supplied by:
Mr. William Cahill,
Ballyask,
Kilmore,
Co. Wexford.

There are two old burying places near Ballina one almost in the town and the other about half a mile away. The one near the town is called the Abbey and has been in use since about 1450 when it was founded by O'Dowd of Tireragh for the Augustine Order. The Abbey building is now a ruin and burying is almost stopped there. Some years ago it was ordered to be closed but some of the families whose people were buried were allowed to use it for a short time. The old building is covered with ivy but the graves are much neglected.Kilmore about half a mile from Ballina on the road to Killala is another old graveyard is now almost filled up. Very few burials take place there now. It also has an old Abbey which goes back hundreds of years. Unlike the Augustine Abbey and graveyard which is on level ground, Kilmore is on the side of a hill facing to the east and graves have their feet that way. One part of the old Abbey is still standing but most of the walls are now fallen down.

of the same family has hopes of being buried in it.
There is and uncertainty about the name of the last Bishop who resided there, but it is said that ne died about ninety years ago at Ardcarne on his way to Boyle.Headstone: Kilmore, Co. Roscommon:
In the graveyard in Kilmore, Co Roscommon there is a headstone over a man named O Doherty from Inis Eoghan, my Great Grand Father, and the transcription on it is written in and ancient Irish language, which cannot be interpreted by any of the natives.

The Ált. Nadadh Ruadh in Michael Quinns farm, Drumcoura,
Poll a Phooka owned by the Baxters of Kilmore
The Dhereen owned by Dan Rielly Kilmore.

There were tents on the field selling all kinds of fruits and refreshments, and there were also places where you could get dinner or tea. There were holes put in the ground and fires were lighted in these holes, and pots containing hams, and beef were boiled on those fires and soup was served to anyone who wanted it.
In olden times there lived two well known families in this parish. The O'Beirnes of Cartron and Feeneys of Kilmore. A feud existed between these two families for generations. The decendants of both families aired their imaginary grievances at the fair of Dangan. On one occassion a member of the O'Beirne family was killed by one of the Feeneys. The then parish priest of Kilmore said that there would not be a Feeney in the parish during the following generation or ever again. This remark of the Priest's has proved correct. The last of the Feeneys died about twenty five years ago and no one of the name has resided since in the parish.

so attractive that anyone that sees her is drawn to her and he never comes back to the strand.
The mermaid of Kilmore must be of the same family as the lady of Banna. She too has golden hair and is seen mid-way between Kilmore and Kilrush across the water. Her message is a sad one too. She comes to tell of death by drowning for the fisherman who throw their nets across the mouth of the Shannon.
I have never seen a mermaid though I often looked out to see for the golden-haired lady that sits near the edge of a rock a few miles from the strand.

About 90 years ago there was a giant living in Kilmore, and he was a terror to all the people. He used to rob them, and carry away all their crops, and kill anyone who tried to stop him. At that time there were lepreachains in the district, and they used always be making shoes, and they had hammers and awls etc. One day the giant attacked one of the leipreachains, but he escaped from him and told the rest of his companions. One day they told the giant that they would fight him on a certain day. The giant consented, and the captain of the leipreachains collected an army and went to fight the giant. When they met the giant in the field that they had appointed to fight in he was surprised to see such a large army of leipreachains against himself. He had consented to fight them, and he said he would keep his word. The giant was armed with a sword and the leipreachains were armed with awls and hammers. The fight started early in the morning and the leipreachains were winning. Towards evening one of the leipreachains fired an awl at the giant's eye and blinded him. THe fight lasted for three days, but the leipreachains got the victory, and they buried the giant in a field in Kilmore called the Booleen[?] field.

Dineen was banking seaweed at Kilmore strand he saw a great brightness all of a sudden. He looked over towards Clare and he saw a castle and some trees and a woman and a young child and they spreading clothes. It is said that if a woman spun seven yards of thread without touching the sweat of her eye-brows with her fingers, the tower would appear and would never again disappear no matter how high the flood would[?] rise. This castle was also seen by Mrs. Mary McEllistrim, Kilmore, Ballyduff, Tralee, who is about 84 years of age.This story was told by, Maurice Harrington (aged 65), Knopogue.

There is a man by the name of Dan Sullivan living beside the river Cashen, but formerly lived in Kilmore. One evening he was banking seaweed on the Long Strand. It was dusk when he started for home. He would be indread to be out after nightfall. There is a trickster in Kilmore by the name of John Healy. Healy knew that Sullivan had a lot of seaweed banked, and that himself would get it if he played a little trick on him. Healy drove two bolts one at each side of the road, and tied wire from one to the other, and it was about a foot high. Sullivan came on and he was trotting and panting with dread. He struck his two legs against the wire and went head over heels on the hard road. He got up and ran home as fast as his two legs could carry him. He would not go near the strand in clear daylight after that, if you paid him, and Johnny as the people call him, got all the seaweed for himself.

I am now writing of forty seven years ago when there was a hurling match at Clonturk Park in Dublin between the Kerry and the Wexford team in which Kerry won the match with their bare feet. That day was a day of great rejoicing for all the Dublin people as there were several people from Kerry working in positions there. The match started about one o'clock on Sunday. The teams were a draw the first hour, but afterwards Kerry beat them three goals and three points. The Kerry team were comprised of twenty one men, fourteen from Ballyduff and seven from Kilmoiley, while the Wexford team comprised of twenty-one men. The fourteen from Ballyduff were John Mahony from Kilmore, the Captain Richard Kissane from Kilmore, James McDonnell from Ballyduff, Michael Sullivan from Knopogue, Patrick Carr and Patrick Winn do, Frank and James Crowley from Ardoughter, John Sullivan from Rattoo, Tom Dunn from Rahela Maurice Fitzmaurice, Maurice Kelly and John Murphy, Ahabeg, and Jim Pierce Rahela. The seven from Kilmoiley were Patrick Rourke Thade McCarthy, Phil McCarthy another. The three were cousins. Mike Riordan, Pat and Jack Quane do. The match was over about four

About 70 years ago a ship came in to Kilmore and the Masons were landlords of Kilmore that time.
When they heard about the ship they went down to the shore and invited the captain and his crew to their house for refreshment.
While they were away the Masons got people to rob the ship.
When the captain came back and saw his ship robbed he said nothing but he asked the Masons to get men and spades and dig a canal at one side of the ship and order that when the

I know an old fort it is in Coolras, Bruree, Co. Limk. The owner of the fort began to cut the timber that was in it. The people around told him he would not have a days's luck if he cut the timber. he only laughed at them. After the first day when he got up, the best cow he had was dead. One day a man was passing the fort, he heard the fairies saying "get the pot hanger", "wash the potatoes". There is another fort in Kilmore it is called Fitzgerald's fort, there is a drain all round it. The owner of it cut all the timber in it and he died suddenly in about two weeks after, there is a small passage under the bushes. There is another fort in Kilmore and it is called Shea's fort, one night two men were taking a walk along the road. One of the men saw a big light about the size of a house and the two men ran home as quickly as they could, and it was three o'clock in the morning when they were at home.

A woman named Guiltenane of Kilmore carried a 20 stone of oats from Kilmore to Blackwater mill a didstance of three miles to sell it. Thjis was 50 years ago.
A man names O Neill from Kilbane walked from Kilbane to the Fair of Loughera a didstance of 40 miles and back taking a day and a night.
John Boland of Sallybank could cut an English acre of hay in a day.

Tircullen - Cuchulinn is supposed to have spent a week hunting wild animals in Ballyhamlet Glen. He built a house of twigs and covered them outside with the skins of the animals which he killed. The latter he found in the neighbouring district. Ever since, this townland is known as Turcullen.Kilmore - Before the Norman invasion a very large and high church was supposed to be built and when nearly finished, the Normans destroyed it by fire and took with them all the sacred vessels they could find. Kilmore , or "Cill Mór" in Irish, means "big church" and that is how it got its name.Glenawilling means the Glen of the Mill. It got its name from a local mill used in past times for sawing timber and grinding corn. An extensive trade was carried out on these up to a century ago, but the roof collapsed during a snow-storm. The ruins of it are still to be seen and they show it was built of cut stone. This is the origin of the name of the townland.

The roads that are in this locality are:- the long road, the Aughamore road, the Boherquill road or the Pound road, the Float road, the Lisryan road, the Clonmore road, the Kilmore road, the bog road and the Corner road.
The long road leads from the corner that divides the Kilfintan road and Clonmore road to Killasonna crossroads. The Aughamore road leads from Lisryan crossroads to Killasonna crossroads. The Boherquill road leads from Lismacaffrey cross roads to Boherquill Church. The Float road leads from Lismacaffrey cross roads to the Float bridge. The Lisryan road leads from Lismacaffrey cross roads to Lisryan cross roads. The Clonmore road leads from the corner at Berrny Smith's to the gate lodge at Boyce's. The Kilmore road leads from the cross roads at Tom Loughlin's to the cross roads at Tom Kelly's. The bog road leads from the gate lodge at Boyce's to Killasonna cross roads. The corner road