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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. Holy Wells

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 141

    The graveyard in which the will is is a very old one but is still in use. Trees grow in the churchyard mostly whitethorn - and there is the ruins of an ancient monastery. People are buried within the ruins as there are many headstones there. A bush stands near the well and on that bush coloured pieces of rags were tied after making the rounds. After finishing the rounds to complete them a visit to the old monastery is made and five Our Fathers and five Hail Marys and five Glory's are said.
    There was a belief that people were at one time buried on Corraturk hill, near Ballylanders. No signs are there now of a former grave yard.
    People always are taken to their own graveyards not necessarily the parish one - it may be the place where that person's ancestors have been buried for hundreds of years, and it may be several miles distant.
    A common belief in former times was that when Irish men and women were buried in foreign countries, that their spirits were released from the other world to bring back the remains to the person's own family burial ground, and that the funerals (could not be seen) but heard coming at the dead hour of night to that person's own grave. Ballingarrey (about 1 1/2 miles from Ballylanders) and the grave yard in the district. There is a ruin there also - a

  2. (no title)

    “This is Pat Hannan's account of how the houses were built some fifty to eighty years ago...”

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 144

    the timber was called an "adharc" and a stuff like turpentine was got from the "adharc."
    This is an account of the meals long ago taken down by Cissie Davern from her grandfather - Johnny Coleman now over eighty years, living here in the village of Ballylanders.

  3. The Holy Well in the Graveyard at Ballylanders

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 159

    The Holy Well in the graveyard at Ballylanders
    The following was told to me by the old woman Mrs. Noonan - who looks after the well and hands out the water to those making their rounds.
    An old woman was bedridden for several years and one day calling her son to her she told him to go down to the graveyard in Ballylanders and go to the haw bush near one corner and with a spade dig three sods there and to bring her some of the water he would find there. When he told the others they said not to put any suim in her talk that she must be draming or raving. After a few days she called him again and begged him to go and dig the sods and she would be cured by the water he'd find. She was so much in earnest that to please her he took his spade and came to the graveyard. He had a search for the haw bush but at last he guessed this one. When he had the three sods dug as she told him the water spurted up. He brought it home to his mother and after using it she got her walk. Mrs. Noonan says the signs where the three sod were dug are easily seen in the middle of the well at the present day. An account of some of the cures there I have already given in an earlier part of this book.

  4. Local Fairs

    CBÉS 0513

    Page 030

    Fairs are held in Tipperary, Emly, Knocklong, Ballylanders, Galbally and Mitchelstown.
    Horses and cattle fairs are held in Tipperary. Cows and bulls are sold in the fair green. Young cattle and horses are sold on the streets.
    The Knocklong fair is held on the 3rd of October. They had another fair but it was not a success.
    The fair is held in a field. The owners of the cattle give about threepence per animal to the owner of the field. Five fairs are held in Emly during the year. They are held on the streets. Six fairs are held in Ballylanders every year. They are held on the streets also. The yearly fair of Galbally was held up to about 40 years ago. It ceased then and Galbally had no fair until

  5. Holy Wells

    CBÉS 0513

    Page 085

    There is a holy well at the Mooreabbey about a mile from Galbally. The water is supposed to be a cure for sore eyes.
    A couple of years ago a woman washed clothes in the well and it moved to the opposite side of the road. It is called St. Francis' Well.
    There is a well in Ballylanders and it is a very powerful well. The well is called Our Lady's Well. The water is a cure for all sorts of sores.
    Every year there is a pattern held in Ballylanders in honour of Our Lady on the 15th August. There are six rounds paid and the rosary is said during these six rounds. There is said to be a trout in the well. Some years

  6. (no title)

    “In August 1911 three men were killed in Ballylanders, Co. Limerick by lightning as they were drawing in hay.”

    CBÉS 0513

    Page 183

    In August 1911 three men were killed in Ballylanders, Co. Limerick by lightning as they were drawing in hay. One evening a man returning from Galbally met one of those men on the road and he told him he was a dead man.

  7. William Condon

    CBÉS 0513

    Page 270

    he was released the Phoenix Park Murders were committed and he knew beforehand from some hints he got in Kilmainham that something was about to take place. When he arrived at [?] Station there was a great crowd to receive him and Ballylanders was all decorated and bonfires were blazing. The people wanted him to make a speech but he knowing that something was coming off that night and that if he opened his mouth he'd be handled again in the morning he got up on stage and said "I'm very glad to be amongst ye again but I'm very sorry to hear that

  8. Thunder-Storm of 1913

    CBÉS 0513

    Page 486

    On August 1913 there was a big thunder storm. The day was as dark as night, and the roars of thunder were terrific. The lightning flashed about every three minutes. It did terrible damage, but no so much in this locality. Two men were killed by the lightning down in Ballylanders when carting home hay. The thunder and

  9. (no title)

    “You often hear tell of Donovan the hedge schoolmaster" said Mrs Cleary.”

    CBÉS 0514

    Page 009

    "Indeed I did" I replied. Well someone back there in Ballyduff dreamt that there was gold buried in George Marint's Lios which is there on the right hand side of the road from Ballylanders to Michelstown. I oftern heard my father say that the King of the district lived there as there are five or six liosanna in

  10. (no title)

    “There was a fellow working down there at Jack Gallahues in Ballyfaskin...”

    CBÉS 0514

    Page 013

    Parish of Ballylanders, Co Limerick and every night after leaving Mrs Cleary's here Denis and I used to walk down as far as Gall's boreen with him. This night; 'twas a fine bright moonlight night, we went down him the same as any night we stood

  11. (no title)

    “At the time of the taking of the taking of the Castle of Ballinahinch which was defended by Sir Henry Burgess...”

    CBÉS 0514

    Page 041

    and weep at his grave. One evening she cried so much that she fell asleep on the grave. She woke to find herself back beside the kitchen garden of her home in Ballinvreena a distance of four English miles from the Ballylanders graveyard.

  12. Local Clergymen

    CBÉS 0539

    Page 234

    Rev James Howard one of Father Meagher's curates was appointed Parish Priest in Newport in 1888. He was a native of Ballylanders and was educated in Thurles and afterwards in Maynooth. He was ordained in 1865 and went for six years in the mission to Sterling in Scotland. When recalled he was appointed curate in Ballinahinch whence he was transferred as curate to Newport. With the exception of about ten years he spent all his long priestly life amongst the people of Newport.

  13. Abstract of the Population of Ballylanders, County Limerick, Taken by Order of Parliament A.D. 1821

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 035

    Abstract of the Population of Ballylanders
    Co. Limerick, taken by order of the Parliament
    A.D. 1821
    Ballylanders Parish = 405 Families
    Persons = 2170
    Employed in Agriculture = 466 persons
    " " Trade = 272 "
    Otherwise occupied = 140 "
    Total Employed = 878 "
    Unemployed = 1292 "
    At Schools 150 males; 52 Females:
    total 202
    Ballylanders Village
    Families 57 Persons 277
    Employed in Agriculture 46 Persons
    " " Trade 47 "
    Otherwise occupied 21 "
    Total Employed 114 Persons
    Unemployed 163 "
    At Schools - 89 males, 30 Females
    Total 119

  14. Song about Landlords, Agents and their Pets

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 037

    Song about Landlords, Agents and Their Pets - composed by a Spailpín by the name of Paddy Mackessy Sr. of Ballylanders and sang by another spailpeen Tady Kent of Ballyduff, Ballylanders.
    I got the song from Mr. Thos. Fitzgerald a well to do farmer of Ballylanders parish.
    1st Verse
    Come all ye brave Catholics of Ireland
    And listen awhile to my tale
    of Tories I'll tell you some stories
    But I won't tell the whole of their names
    In Garronleash hill you will find them
    The whole of the Palatine race
    the Sherrets, the Textons and the Steepes
    Not forgetting Bet Stewart and the old Jakes
    the neighbors all round they will rout them
    I am sure they have run their last race
    Chorus
    So that is the way boys to do it
    Let us all gather round in a ring
    When a man is put out of his farm
    Let nobody grab it again.

  15. (no title)

    “Football matches in olden times were often played with two furze bushes as goals...”

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 135

    Eighth Event - Walking Race - 880 yards.
    1st Prize - Silver Sugar Bowl.
    2nd " - A Copy of "United Ireland" Weekly post free for twelve months.
    (1). Thomas McGrath white and gray
    (2) John Cronage.
    (3). W.B. Dineen gray and white
    (4.) John Crawford.
    (5) Francis Dineen pink and blue.
    (6). M. Condon.

    John Cronage of Ballylanders was the best in above and won the prize.
    These were some of the best "Thrashers" in former times - Dick Murphy Ballylanders.
    Robert Grafton "
    Seamus Kinnana "
    Tom Flynn "
    There was supposed to be a battle around Magner's at one time - unknown - and a Central Hospital near by in the farm of Dan COnnery Ballylanders. When knocking the wall of the hold hospital it is believed "old guineas" were found.
    Joan Rea and Mrs. Hennessy of Darragh Co Limerick were great singers. They sang at Feiseanne all over the Country.
    Paddy Noonan Borheen cpuaid near Kilfinane was a great piper - so also were the Carthy's of Corraturk Ballylandes.

  16. Anglesborough

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 074

    The parish of Ballylanders runs into the village of Anglesborough. Mrs Cleary, John, Howard, Pat Howard and tailor Callaghan belong to Ballylanders parish. The inhabitants of both places as well as those of mountain foot or Barna were mixed up in all the campaigns carried out for the amelioration of the Penal Laws and cruel wrongs enacted by an alien Government.
    Gleann-na-Grour, the glen of the woodcock is the Gaelic name for Anglesboro'.
    Right to the N East of the village is a little hill called Paradise. Right overhanging Paradise is the Western peak of the Galtees called Thoumpleen because there are numerous stones there which would point to an ancient Church and burial ground. There is a cairn on top of the peak where, it is supposed one of the ancient Druidical Kings was buried.
    According to tradition of the bygone generations the White Knight was killed by O Brien of Bansha at a hollow in the road leading from the village to Mitchelstown where Bill Mahony's cottage stands at the present time.
    Anglesborough and the surrounding locality was much wooded in those days and afforded

  17. (no title)

    “The farm now belonging to Jim Hourigan in Spittle (Ballylanders) formerly belonged to Oliver's from whom Hourigan bought it...”

    CBÉS 0512

    Page 121

    The following was taken down by Kathleen Lee (13 yrs) who lives with her uncle - Din Fitzgerald - in Spittal, Ballylanders from whom she got the information. He is now up to eighty years of age.
    The farm now belonging to Jim Hourigan in Spittle (Ballylanders) formerly belonged to Oliver's from whom Hourigan bought it. Oliver's were millers in Kilfinane Co. Limerick - Oliver's Mill the place is still known as - these people were related to the Oliver's of Castle Oliver near Ballyorgan Co. Limerick - a castle the lands are are now divided.
    It is said Oliver was the first man to bring a mowing machine to Kilfinane. There is a field near the Castle and no green grass ever grew on it on account of all the people who were killed there for the faith.
    In Kilfinane town there is a hole called the croppy hole - where Catholics were shot and hanged by Oliver's soldiers and thrown into the hole - their bodies were burned with slack lime.
    Recently a statue of the Sacred Heart is placed over the croppy hole in memory of those who died for the faith - the hole is planted with trees and is surrounded by a stone wall.

  18. (no title)

    “Football was the great game in my young days. The ball was not as round as it is now.”

    CBÉS 0514

    Page 137

    reel and Ruaille Buaille. They were shoving one another and doing all kinds of tricks.
    They all made up for a gallon of whiskey after the match.
    I often heard of football being kicked from one townland to another with one side kicking the ball and the other side stopping it.
    The hurling ball used be made by a shoemaker. It was only a ball of thread covered with leather.

    Handball was a favourite game also. The alley is the one still used in Anglesboro in the summer. The front wall is the wall of the bridge at The Cross. John Howard, Anglesboro, and Pat Howard were great players. People used come from Ballylanders and challenge the local boys. They used also come from Kilbehenny. They usually played for a gallon of stout. Frank Dineen of Ballylanders one of the founders of the G.A.A., Jim Kiely, and his brother Con used often come on a Sunday to play John Howard and the local lads. Those were the good old days.

  19. Duntryleague

    CBÉS 0510

    Page 072

    In the north of Ballylanders and west of Galbally lies the hill of Duntryleague where are to be found not only the remains of a fort erected here by Brian Boru, but also a fine cromlech considered to be the tomb or burial place of Olioll Olum, from whom the chief Munster families were descended.
    The chamber is formed of eight large flag stones covered with two similar slabs. From this structure extend standing stones

  20. A Story

    CBÉS 0511

    Page 223

    There did a man live in house above at Carraig na Gabbar now it is called Daly's rock. His name was Gallahoue and his mother was dying one night and there was not a priest nearer than Ballylanders. He went to the priest to come to his mother. The priest said he would not go and he said that he would make him go. The man told the servant girl to open the door to let him in. She did. He went up to the priest and he hit the bed with a stick and the priest said he would go. The priest came on with him until they got up to the house. He gave the woman the sacraments and he went away. When he was down two or three fields from the house he saw the hay burning and he knew