Told by Charles Keogh of Killalongford, Clonmore, Hacketstown, Co Carlow on 13 June '35. His is a farm labourer, and has spent his life there. He cannot read or write freely (can write his name). Age 51. He heard this and other stories from his father Jas. Keogh who died at the age of 79 (in 1932). He first heard these stories when about 12 years old.
"There was a little man and he lived in the sea and there was no way of getting out of it so this morning Jack said that he'd have masons to build a bridge. "Just" says the father "build a bridge over that length". "O bedad I will" says Jack. The masoners built all that day and when Jack came back the next morning, what they had built the day before was floating on the water. They built twice as much the next day and Jack went home this night and ate his supper and said to his father that he'd go and see what was knocking the Bridge. He went and he saw a crow coming flying in the sky. She sat on the Bridge. "May I go over to you" says the Crow. "You may" says Jack

to the Pooka in one of his favourite rides. The pooka managed to coax Patsy on to his back & he took Patsy through rocks & mountains & then left him sprawling on the top of the furze bushes that he had used for fencing the gap. Patsy wasn't long about opening the gap next day.
George Brien was coming home from the fair of Hacketstown one night, and he met the Pooka near the stone. George offered to fight the Pooka a round or two. Before he knew where he was the pooka gave him a kick that sent him spinning through the oats. After making hundreds of turns he landed in a boghole over in Derry bog, half a mile away.
Brian Byrne the old stone cutter was coming home from Jimmy the Brewers and he was fairly “full.” He got up on top of Killahookawn stone and shouted that he would blast & cleave the stone over the pooka's head so as to get at the gold underneath. He didn't mean it atall & was just boasting.

The Battle of HacketstownWhen the battle of Hacketsown was raging the old men, women and children in Ballymanus started the Rosary for Billy Byrne and his band of insurgents. One handed the prayer book to the other and they continued praying until the cannon ceased.The above was told by Mrs O'Toole, Ballymanus now dead.

Long ago in Hacketstown there was a thatched church where Lenistons cottage is now. The people used to go and thrash their corn in it, and travelling people used go in for the night.Some priest got it shut up. Where the church is now was once a barrack and this priest made it into a church.Some of the stones of the old church were there for a long time but now they are gone.

One time there was a woman who had a lot of money. She lived somewhere between Tinahely and Hacketstown. She did not know what she would do with all her money before she died. First she said she would leave the money in her coffin. But she knew that the money would be taken out of her coffin. All the money was in gold. She had a servant working for her who was a very clever lady. The old lady became very ill, and she was still wondering what she would do with the money. At last she thought of a plan. She called the servant and told her to get the gold and melt it in the fire. The servant thought for a while; then she got a pound of fresh butter and melted it. When it was melted she put it in milk and gave it

Historic
29 Traditions of local industries that have disappeared
(a) About sixty years ago there was a wooden mill in operation at Stralusky about two miles South West of Hacketstown. The farmers of the surrounding district used to bring their wool to this mill and give orders to have tweed, blankets, rugs etc made from it. They paid the mill owner a certain amount for their manufactures. The owner of the mill also purchased wool from the farmers and made tweed etc. He disposed of those bales of tweed in the fairs held in this county and also in fairs held in the surrounding counties

Archaeological
54: Legends connected with local fort:-
There is a fort at Raheen three miles south west of Hacketstown. It is about five perches in diameter. The owner will not till this circular piece of ground when hilling the field, although it is a great inconvenience to him to go round it when ploughing and harrowing the field, as he regards the place with a kind of supernatural fear.

One of the most historic places in the neighbourhood of Hacketstown is now in ruins. I have visited the dilapidated remains of this old castle and will describe them.
The castle was situated at a distance of 400 yards from the village. It appears to have been a square structure of 170 feet. The easter, northern, and western sides are still in a good state of preservation, but the southern side has practically disappeared. The walls are in most cases five feet thick and the narrow stone cased windows appear to have been furnished with iron bars. The castle was formerly surmounted by towers. The North East Tower called by the country people "the six windows" is still nearly entire. It is octagonal in shape and rises two stories above the adjoining walls. The tower next the road is in a far

No. 56 May Day was observed in this locality up till about thirty years ago. They chose a "queen of the May" first. Boys and girls marched in procession after her round the village of Hacketstown. They got a May bush and decorated it with white ribbons. They tied flowers on it and put cards on it. The bigger girls held the May bush over the May Queen's head. They sang songs and carried branches of flowers in their hands as they marched along.
The people in this locality have a good many superstitions connected with May Day. They say it is most unlucky to give away lighted coals or to give anyone a match that day.
The farmers will not lend anything belonging to a churn as they say they would give away the profit if they lent anything on May Day. This

on outside as well round both sides of the nave. Next he makes holes in the nave and drives the spokes into this. Then he cuts out the fellows with a band saw. He puts on the fellows. The wheel is then taken to the forge. The wheelmarker uses the following implements hammer, chisel, punch, pincers, and a wheel block.
Nail making
There were two families of Reillys who made nails about sixty years ago in Hacketstown. They bought the wire in Dublin. They made different sizes of nails, horse shoe nails, nail for repairing boots, nails for putting up wooden houses, and nails for slating. The used to supply all the local shoemakers with nails. The carpenters got slating nails from them. The local black smiths also got their supplies from them. Tom

May Day was kept up to thirty years ago in this locality on the first of May. They got a May bush, and decorated it with white ribbons, they tied flowers on it, put cards on it, and candles lighted on it.Boys and girls marched round the town of Hacketstown, and one of the bigger girls walked in front, and some of the other girls held the May bush over her head, like a kind of a canopy. They sang songs, and carried bunches of flowers in their hands.They have a lot of superstitions connected with May Day around here. They say that you should not carry a lighted coal out of a house, or a lighted match on that day.

come inland and fly around the men when they are working on the land, it is an omen of stormy weather. When the crows fly wildly arond cawing, it is considered a sure indication of rain.
When the snipe goes flying around over the meadows calling like a goat, people in this localty say fine weather is coming. This bird is called locally the "miney gabar" . When the curlew flies round issuing a hoarse whistle it is said to portend bad weather. There is also another bird that flies around the bogs calling "Pe weep" It is a small bird called "leather wing bat" locally and when it flies about at night it is considered a sign of good weather.
In the vincinity of Hacketstown

There is a cross in the graveyard of Clonmore. It is made of granite. There was a piece of the top of it knocked off by Cromwell's soldiers. There is a drawing of it on the opposite page. There is also another cross in the old graveyard opposite the other one. It was about twelve feet at first but the cross bar was knocked off and there are only six feet of the stump standing now.
There are two ornamental tomb-stones in the Hacketstown church yard. There is one belonging to Jacob [?]Jackson who died in 1760. There is a carving of a church and trees, and a man in a carriage and two horses driving up to the church. The other one belonging to George White who died in 1770.
There is a vault in

it away.There is a special fair for horses at Tinahely. It is held twice a year, on the 8th May and 7th November. All the farmers around this district go to the fair in Tinahely. The fair in November is larger than the one in May. More young horses are bought and sold at it.there is another great fair held in Castledermot, five times a year. A great many farmers around Hacketstown go to the Castledermot horse fair to buy and sell horses.

There are two tailors in Hacketstown. Their names are Mr. Byrne and Mr. Kenny. The tailors always work at home. The tailors keep patterns and some people choose what ever kind of cloth they want, and they send away to some of the big shops in Dublin for the material.
The tailor uses a sewing machine, measuring tape, scissors, tailors' spools, and a goose iron for pressing the clothes. Some people make shirts at home. They make them of cotton in the summer and flannelette in Winter.
A great many pairs of socks and stockings are knitted in the homes during the Winter. When there is a relative dead, at the funeral the relations were black clothes. The men wear black hats, black ties, black bands or diamonds on the left sleeve of their coats. The women generally wear a black coat, hat, dress, shoes and stockings. They consider it lucky at a wedding to have

A man from Hacketstown heard this story, and he said that he woudl go to the rath another night, so a couple of nights after he went. When he was passing the rath, he heard the singing. He began singing the same song, but he made a mistake and said Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. A voice said "Who is that spoiling our nice song?" Another said "Go out there and put that hump on his back".Ever after, as long as he lived, he was tormented with two humps on his back. It is about one hundred years since that happened.

A widow named ___ lived in a little house in Tinaclash. She owned a few acres of land, and she was not able to pay the rent for it. John Harmon, of Barraderry, owned the land surrounding it. He always had a longing to get this rich piece of land for himself.One morning he got up very early and went to the Landlord and paid the rent, so the poor old widow was evicted. When she was going out of the house she put a curse on John Harmon.A short time after he was coming from Hacketstown. As he was crossing Tinaclash Bridge,

In the Rebellion of 1798, a man by the name of Bob White, informed on the Yeomen their movements. The Yeomen were trying to capture him, but he understood that they were looking for him and he tried to get to the nearest rebels camp which was in Hacketstown, because he knew that he would be safe there.One day he asked a man, who had a jennet, if he would be able to bring him there. The man said he would, and he packed him down into a load of turf and started on with him. When he was on the road he met the Yeomen and when he was passing them he said "Clear the road for Bob White and I". He was pretending that the jennet's name was Bob White. The Yeomen laughed at him and passed on, and he got safely into the town with the man packed in the load of turf.Mr G Jackson of Crossnacole, heard this story related by the old people of the district, Kiltegan.

[Title should be -The Local Fairs]The local fairs are held in Tinahely, Hacketstown, Aughrim and Baltinglass. They are always held in towns. The old people in the neighbourhood never remember them to be held in crossroads. There is no local tradition in connection with fairs. In olden times there used to be always fights at fairs. The people used to fight with sticks and stones, and they would think that it wasn't a fair day at all if they hadn't a fight. When you sell an animal there is always luck penny given. It is calculated at one shilling to three pounds. When a bargain is made, the people concerned show their agreement by striking hands.When an animal is sold it is marked with raddle in order to show that it is sold. Their are horse fairs held every three months namely: on the 7th Feb 8th May 7th, Aug 7th Nov. The fairs for sheep for sheep, horses, etc are held monthly.

In olden times the people looked on smiths to be the most useful man in the district. There are four forges in this parish.
Mr Doyle owns a forge in Rathdangan and Mr Mac Donald owns a forge in Hacketstown. The forge in Moyne is owned by Mr Stanley. Mr Kehoe owns the forge situated in the village of Knockananna. There is a slated roofs on it and it has one big door and one window. There is only one fire-place in the forge. The implements which the smith