a frown on her face ironing her bonnet. She used two irons. The one for ironing, and the "talon" iron. She placed the "talon" iron under each frill of lace to make ruffles. The cap was then starched and by the time it was finished, there was a shine on it.
The women always wore a small multi-colored shawl over their shoulders. When it rained they pulled their shawls over their heads to save their caps from the rain.
I am sure if the people who lived a hundred years ago saw us, that they would be shocked at the light clothes that we wear. I think I prefer to live in this advanced age where we can wear such cool clothes and feel much more comfortable and happier than if we were swathed in flannels.
Written: Patrick Egan Clydagh, Headford.

Headford.
hills. 1. "Cnoc an phíobaire." It is situated in the village of Breadagh, Corrandulla, Co. Galway. It is called that name because it is said that a piper is to be heard there every night at twelve o'clock playing the pipes.
2. "Cnoc Godáin." It is so called because it is situated in the middle of "Páirce Godáin."
3. "Cnoc Meadha." It is so called because it is said that queen Maeve who was at one time queen of Connaught is buried on the top of it. There is a heap of stones there also to show her burial place. It is situated about a mile and a half from Castle-hackett shool and six miles from Tuain.
rocks. 1. "Cloch na h-altóire." It is so called because during the penal times when the priests were afraid to say Mass in the church it

My native village is Cloonbar. It is in the parish of Kilconly and in the barony of Dunmore. It is a fairly large village as there are eleven houses in it now but long ago there was a larger number. Mostly all the houses that are in the village now have slated roofs but long ago some of them were thatched and more had galvanized roofs.
The most common surname in Cloonbar now is Burke but long ago Corless was the commonest. Kavanagh was also a common name in the village. Some of them lived where my house is now but they left the place and some of them went to Cong and more of them to Headford. It was one of them who witnessed the apparition at Knock some years ago.
Cloonbar got its name from a public house bar that was in the village long ago. It was built on a high meadow. The old people in the village now have stories about the strange things that happened there long ago. They say that there was a convent in the village long ago and that there was a lot of nuns and a Reverend Mother there. Cromwell was in the country at the time so he came one day with his army to destroy the convent. The nuns knew that they were to be put to death so the Reverend Mother asked for a

Sráid-bhaile beag ar bhruach locha Coirib seadh Cnoch Ferí. Tá sé i bparráisde Cill Ainín, i mBarúntacht Mágh Cuilinn, i dTogha Roinn Wormhole.
Tá cúig tighthe san t-sráid bhaile. Siopa le muinntir Liodáin ceann díobh siúd. Tá bád ag chuile duine ann. Má theastuigheann ó dhuine dul treasna Locha Coirib go Cill Beag dhéanfadh aon duine san t-sráid bhaile é iomramh treasna ar bheagán airgid.
Tugtar móin treasna an lócha ó'n áit seo freisin. Is féidir Cill beag a fheiscint treasna uait ó'n gCaladh agus is féidir Teach Murchadha a fheiceal ann.
Nuair abhíos daoine as an áit ag dul go aonach Headford teigheann siad i mbád agus

There was once a man living near Headford and he was building a new house. When he was digging the sand he dug up some bones and he gathered them up and broght them into the house. A tramp came to him in the evening and he asked lodging of him and he got it. In the middle of the night blood started to fall on him and he called the other man. When the man looked at him he was covered with blood. The tramp said that it was he who killed the man and buried him where the other man got the bones.Martin Gannon
Shrule told me this story
Paddy Gannon

to a man from Kilamonagh, and when he returned home, she showed him the pipe, and he at once recognised it. If anyone that was taken in the fairies left their hands on any other one's back, it is supposed that the fairies could take that person.
The banshee is seldom heard at all now. She only cries for certain families. When Annie Walsh died, she was heard back by the river crying, and she was beating clothes with a stick. There was also a noise heard in the air, which sounded like an aeroplane, but the people did not see anything. Some of them called it the Coisre bode (sp). In certain farms, there is a sod, and if you step on that sod you will be led astray. It is called the Foidin Mesrsibe. One night as Pat Carroll was coming back across Reilly's big field he could not find his way home. He kept walking all the time, and thought he was on his right way home, but after a few hours, he found himself near Headford.
(Una Ni Laighleis, Gort Luggagh)
(From her Father, Pat Lawless, 60 yrs).

Kilfrauchaun = Its a grave-yard in Dowagh near Cross. it gets its name from Saint Frauchawn who built a church there
Kilarsagh = Ots between Cross and Cong in the townland of Ballymagibbon. The name is got from Saint Fursa who founded a church there before he built Killursa, Headford.
Kill an Aifrinn = Its a place over in the fields between Garracloon and Kildun, it has that name since the time that a priest used to read Mass there when the priests were "on the run"
Abbotstown - Its so called as the residence of the Abbots who were there from 1542 to 1829
Ballymagibbon = At one time it belonged to a family of the McGibbons and are ever since it is called after them

A man named John Herlihy who lived in Nohival was going to have a Meitheall one day. On the morning of the Meitheall he went out to the corn field, and reaped ten sheaves of wheat, and scotched it, and ground it into flour, and made bread for the men's breakfast before the arrived.
Patrick Leary Hollymounts was a great runner and jumper. He used to run and jump at Knocknagree and Ballydesmond. His apponents were : "The Mountain Hare" Hussey. Patrick Leary's son is living in the house now
Denis Kelleher Sinnagh was a great runner. He ran at Headford. OHara and Desmond were his apponents. They were from Glenflesk
Denis Leary Hollymount, was a famous caster. He used to cast at Newquarter Bridge. Jeffery Ring and Andrew Sheehan. Tureencahil. Denis Leary was the best man

The last and local landlord in this district was Lord Kenmare. Before that we had what they call middle-men. They were small landlords, and they were paying a head rent to the landlords, but they used to have big profit themselves. Reaboy, Knocknageehy and Screathan-a-Gullane belonged to Doctor OLeary, and he lived in Screathan-a-Gullane. Tuneencahill Wast was belonging to the McCarthies of Headford (Kerry).
They were partial men.
Tuneencahill, Renasup and Newquarter (Rathmore Kerry) belonged to the Duggans of Knocknaseed (Rathmore, Kerry) and they were horrid landlords.
It was said that they used to whip their men if they were a moment late, and if they disobey they would hunt them from their place the next morning. The Mc Sweeneys of the Quarry Lodge (Gneeveguilla, Co. Kerry)

There is a fort about two miles to the east of this school in a field called Pairc Leasa - fairies used to be seen there every night long ago playing football. One night a man was out late playing cards. He wanted to go a near way home and he went across a field in which the fairies were. They all ran into the fort when they saw him. He walked into the fort after them but he could not make his way out. After a while he fell fast asleep and when he awoke in the morning he found his hair had turned grey. He died a few days afterwards.
Tim Crowley
Old Bridge
Headford

The "maidhm" a circular hollow in the farm of John Cronin Knockyshehane Headford Killarney is 200 yards in diameter and 30 deep. Within this hollow and old woman lived alone in a miserable hut. She had one cow - a very peculiar one as she never went to dairy and yet her owned had more butter than all the townland together. She was believed to be a harmless poor woman and badness was never dreamt of from her.The big quantity of butter continued with her summer and winter and finally the local people became suspicious. A poor man bent with years visited the district one day and some few neighbours told him of the uncanny cow and her mistress. He advised them watch her and their cattle. They did, and discovered that a fox came and sucked each cow in the several herd in turn. They frightened the animal off and later told the story of the fox to their strange little man. He assured them there was some relentation between the fox and their woman neighbour.They beset her little cabin in the maidhm another night and watched through a small window to find out what she was engaged at. They saw her in the cabin pulling at a hair spancel hanging from the rafter of her low little home and cans of milk filled the floor all over

at one time a number of Saints were going from Tobar na Naomh to Ballyvourney. The mountain path being so steep and narrow they could only walk one behind the other. When the first arrived at Ballyvourney he found he had forgotten something at the well. He told the one next to him and so the word was passed from one to the other and the last was just leaving the the well when the word reached him so that he was able to bring the forgotten object to its owner. This object was said to be a pair of glasses. Whether glasses were know in Ireland in the days of the Saints I do not know.
Dromnaharuich is the name of a townland about midway between Loo-bridge and Headford. I once heard that this also was a place for paying ''rounds'' long ago and that it was for this it got its name- drom na h-Aithrighe.
It was an old custom for the people of Glenflesk to go to ''the City'' on May day to do ''rounds'. The ''City'' was in Rathmore and the Glenflesk people crossed the hill on foot to get there. A pattern andd amusements accompanied the doing of ''rounds at 'the city'''; this was not the case with the doing of ''rounds'' at ''Tobar na Naomh'' probably because, as far as I remember, they were not done on any special day of the year.

When the Chapel Bells were first allowed to ring in Ireland, The Dowager Marchioness of Headford went to the parish of Kells and said that she could'nt sleep in the morning with the ringing of the Chapel bells.
The priest told her not to fear because the bells would never trouble her again and from that day forward the Dowager was stone deaf.IIAnother story is told about the the parish priest of Kells and Rockwell of Rockfield, Kells.
Rockwell brought the

There are five acres of land under grass
We have ten cows the names of the cows are the. White Head, Strawberry, Magpie, Star, Rown Colour, Polly, Headford Kicker, Short Horn, and the Long Neck.
When we are driving in the cows we say Hie, Hie, Hie when we are calling the calves we saw suc, suc, suc and when we are calling the the pigs we say boc, boc, boc.
When we are calling the hens we say tuc, tuc, tuc and the turkeys we say be, be, be. The cow house is long and wide and there are stakes about one foot and a half out from the wall these are called the bales. and another name for the cow house is the byre. Cows are tied in bales. They are often tied from neck to leg to keep them from going over ditches.
The old people about 70 years ago used to hang up a leg of a calf in the roofs of cow house's and in chimney's

at Ionagh saw her running and stepped from her work and cut the two legs from under her with his scythe. It was an old tradition if ever such happened to the well it would flood the country unless stopped in the above way.The title deed of the Headford estate are supposed to be incased in a stone and buried in Lough Ramor. The present marquis is Taylor descended from one of Cromwell followers. The present marquis grandfather on getting possession of the estate found the title deeds and is supposed to have thrown them into the lake. Some years ago he strongly opposed the draining of the Blackwater and old people say tis afraid he was that those title deeds would be found and that he would lose his estate.Prayer
When I lay down my head to sleep. I give my soul to God to keep. There are four corners on my bed, four angels

Lord Bective - Marquis of Headfort - family name Taylor.
When the soldiers of Cromwell were ravaging Meath an officer of the army named Thomas Taylor fell ill through a fall from his horse and was unable to proceed with the army. Some of his comrades took him to a nearby mansion with the intention of placing him placing him under the care of the occupants till his recovery.
They found the place deserted, the inmates having fled at the approach of the army. Cromwell instantly invested Taylor with owner - ship of the residence and surrounding district. Some soldiers were left to guard him, and each was given a tract of land convenient. This district was Bective convenient to Kells - Co Meath. The property now includes the town of Kells and the owner sobsequently got the title of Lord Bective or Marquis of Headford.
Other of Cromwell's soldiers got

result. There was a champion team best in Connaught here about 50 years ago. Burke Mick McHugh John and Coyne John were outstanding. Coursing of recent introd. not held now, used to be held on Mangan's Hill. Hunting fox was and is carried on. Coloured Jackets, packs of beagles crowds used follow them. Bird catching on dark nights was practised - had lanterns and sticks. Stick called Maide Bradach. Card playing was and is carried on - played for sheep.Weaving was carried on. 3 weavers - two named Lawless, one Hughes Killamonagh - looms made flannel and blankets. At night the woman spun thread, colured cloth red and made skirts and bawneens. Rich d Canavans father (Headford) napped (?) the cloth to make fleecy.Before 1847 there were 1800 families in parish 17 families in Mossfort once. Kilkelly used kill a bullock and 12 pigs for them every Xmas. 4D a day was wages. Famine and emigration depleted popul. About 60 yrs ago 75% of people spoke Irish very well. English has a good deal of Irish idiom i.e Eng now spoken here. e g There is rain on it .
Gaisc, Bail odhais, Slacht, léana, eanach, fasloch, cuthach, (?) garrdha, turloch, báinín, cúlán are common through. Engl. word like ladeen, dogeen etc etc are very common

Spiddal. The Lydon family in Knockferry owned a big boat which took his coach and horses across the lake. Killannin was then, part of Claran parish and a curate lived there, whom the Archbishop visited.Boats used to call into the shore of Caladh na Mine (the port of the meal) with meal during the famine.At one time six sailing boats were engaged in bringing seaweed to Kilbeg quay. The people bought carts of this sea-weed and put it on their crops as, they found it a very valuable manure.
WriterPatrick Egan,
Clydagh,
Headford.

A strong man: Long ago there lived a man in Kilshanvy, Kilconly, Tuam. His name was John Farrell. He was able to carry seven cwts of any thing in one bag.A good runner: Long ago there lived a man in Galway city. His name was Tommy Hynes. He was a very good runner. He often ran a twenty mile race and won it.A good jumper: Long ago there lived at Headford, Galway a man named John Molleney. He was able to jump eight feet high.A goo walker: There lived a man at Kilconly, Tuam. His name was Tommy Glynn. He was a very good walker. He was able to was walk six miles in an hour.A good swimmer: Long ago there lived a man at Caherlistrane, Tuam named Mr MacCarthy. He was able to swim across a lake and another man on

Stories of the Famine, Evictions, etc. There is scarcely anybody living at the present day, who can remember the famine years, but there are many old legends and stories handed down to us from our ancestors connected with those terrible years. My father told me an old story about Rafftery, an old blind travelling poet. who used to go around the country looking for alms. One day during the famine, he went into a house near Headford, and asked for an alm and he got no answer, he asked a few times; and getting no answer, he went on his knees cursing the inhabitants of the house. But before he got off his knees, his sight was restored to him, and he never forgot the sight that met his eyes. On the floor were the corpses of three persons, and on a bed, were two more people dying with the hunger. Rafftery went on his knees, and prayed to God to take away his sight from him again lest he might ever see another sight of that kind, his sight was taken from him again, and it was then Rafftery composed the well known "Repentance" called "[?] Rafftery". My father has a copy of this, and it was written by my grand-father long ago.
Nora Ni Dubdha.(From Father, James Dowd,
Cahernabrook. Shrule, 65yrs.)