Forges are not as much in use now as they were in olden times because motor power is becoming more common.
There are four forges in this parish, one in Rathdangan, one in Moyne, one in Knockananna and one in Hacketstown.
Mr Doyle owns the forge in Rathdangan. This forge has been here for many years but Mr. Doyle's people did not own it. It is situated by the roadside and a stream. There is one fireplace in it. The implements the smith uses are, a sledge, hammer, anvil, bellows and a tongs. He makes all kinds of farm implements. He shoes horses asses and wheels. He has a round stone near the forge for shoeing wheels on.

There was a man one time by the name of Mr. Byrne. He was coming from Hacketstown late one night. He had to pass through a rath. Just as he was coming towards the rath he heard a fairy singing. The fairy asked the man would he come and dance with him and the man answered that he would. Next morning when the man awoke the fairy had brought him to another rath. The man said to the fairy, "I want to go home" but the fairy said he would keep him for a couple of days. The man tried to get away from the fairy but he could not. Next day the man's people were out looking for him but they could not find him. After a few days the man was found with the fairy. The people asked the fairy what did he keep the man for and he said he was going to kill him. The people tried to get the man away from the fairy, but the fairy said he wanted to get the man's gold. After a while they got the man from the fairy. The man said that he would never pass through a rath late at night.

Hedge Schools
Heard from Mrs. Thos. O'Reilly Hacketstown formerly Ellen O Driscoll Higginstown now called Ardnaboy, Knockananna. She was born in 1847 and her father was born in 1799 and he told her about the old school in Knockananna. He was a stone breaker by trade. It was situated where Mr. O'Keefes old house was and was made of wood and stone and was thatched. Wooden blocks were used to write upon. The teachers name was Furlong and he wore a gray jackett and a knee briches with brass buttons down the side and had a silk bow at the knees. He also wore a pair of steel grey stockings and a pair of black shoes with large buckles at the toe. Sometimes he wore a frieze coat lined with red plaid while a woollen hat completed his outfit. Ned Carton made his clothes and Pat Byrne known as Pat the hatter from Askinagap made his hats while Anna Byrne who was a sister of Pat the Slough who taught

Recorded from Richard Bulmer Carpenter born + reared in Hacketstown. Heard them from the old people.
I Limedrawers + Ruth
II Nurse + the fairies
III Seeking his fortune

Gold.
A man named Hinch (Mrs. Larry Byrne's father) went to dig for gold in Killcarney "beyant" Hacketstown. He dreamt about the gold, + he + another man went to dig for it. They brought a little "tarrier" with them. There was a life to be lost in the gettin g of the money. they were to kill a cock or something. After digging for a long time they hit a flag + a big tall man started coming up out of the hole, + the little "tarrier" was near eating him. They threw the spades down + went home. Next morning, they went back to see could they get the money. There was no sign of where they dig, but the spades were there.
(Mrs. larry Byrne, Askinagap, aged about 60, Hinch's daughter)

places and no one could stir out for a whole week for fear they would be lost or wall into a river or be drowned. There was also a great frost that made the snow last for a whole week. A great deal of sheep and other animals were lost.There was a thunder storm about sixty years ago. A great many horses were destroyed. And there was terrible lightning. There were some lives lost and a great many trees knocked down. A man lost his life going along the road outside of Hacketstown. A tree fell on him and he was killed.

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Local Ruins. (Skerries, Co. Dublin) Baldungan Castle. (in the towland of Hacketstown)
At Baldungen there are extensive ruins which are visible for a great distance, as they stand on an eminence. There buildings were erected in the second half of the twelfth century and are ascribed to the Templars. The architecture of the doors and windows is Gothic and the ruins indicate a prosperous community when it was occupied. It changes ownership several times and was once administered by the monks of Kilbixty [?], Co. Westmeath, afterwards passing into the possession of the Nuns of Grace Dieu. Eventually it passed into secular ownership.In 1642 this building was besieged and the occupants, some 200

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In the Penal TimesThere was a "Mass-house" at Baldungan (about a mile outside Skerries) which was administered by a Father Clarke, "a Mass-priest," who also kept a hedge-school. Mass was said in the house of one Nicholas Fitzwilliam.
There was also a "Mass-house" at Hacketstown which is mentioned in a Government return ordered by the House of Lords in 1731. It had its own priest. A silver chalice still extant, was presented to the Chapel by Col. R. Arthur and his wife Helen, 1728, and bears the inscription: "Pray for the souls of Colonel R. Arthur and his

Told by James Byrne, Killalongford, Clonmore, Hacketstown, Co Carlow on Feby 1930.
Born on 6th Jany. 1849 inKillalongford spent his life there.
Heard it from his father ( ).
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Years an'years ago there was a monastery in Clonmore and there was a whole lot of monks and priests and saints in it. But in the time of the Danes the monastery was destroyed by them. All the saints was killed and all the holy vessels was taken by the robbers, and the last time they came there a big stone as blew up out of the monastery and it made three jumps. The first place that it jumped to was a bit below the monastery and where it lighted a spring of water sprang up and it cured thousands of people of their disaises- an it would cure em still if they only went there instead of to the potashery. The second jump it made of lighted at the robbers castle above in -ulddre and soon as it did every wan

built in 1803.Michael Dwyer attacked up from the bridge. The Yeos were at the Church wall. There was awful slaughter. Blood flowed down the street like a river. Still they drove the Yeos back. Billy Byrne was coming from Ballymanus but after coming through Kyle he turned for Knockananna. Had he come down the green while Dwyer was attacking the yeos would be caught between the two and slaughtered.Billy Byrne's crowd called to Father Blanchfield between Kyle and Knockananna (Tradition)There is a tradition that bales of flannel were falling three miles from Hacketstown. Really it was burning houses and wind blowing burning papers etc.The Cavalry attacked first at the Bridge. The Insurgents divided in

"Travelling Folk"
Travelling people come to Hacketstown very frequently, and visit our home. The same people have been doing so far a number of years. The most of them are very poor. There are different classes of travelling folk Gypsies, Tinkers, and Tramps.
The gypsies go around in caravans, ad tell fortunes. Some of them charge two and six, and others a shilling for telling fortunes. They sell small tables made from a piece of a board covered with wallpaper to make them look nice. They make the legs of thick branches out of a ditch. The legs are about an inch in diameter, and thirty inches long. They also sell ear-rings, and lace which they say is hand made.
The tinkers sell small tables, cups, and saucers, plates, mugs, slides, pins, and

there is a high hill which is called Eagle hill. Sometimes a large cloud can be seen covering the head of the hill. People in the locality say then there is a "cap" on Eagle Hill anf there is sure to be rain.
When there is a white mist coming up out of the river Dorreen it is said to foretell that fine weather is coming.
There is a high mountain a few miles from Hacketstown called Lugnaquilla and when it appears quite near the people say it portends bad weather. They also say the same when Ballymacrow Hill appears to be near.
To see the dust flying on the road during the Summer is considered a sure indication of rain. There are little small insects called "midges"

was made of stone and mortar in the big houses, and in the smaller houses it was made of clay and wattles. Some of the houses long ago had a hole in the roof for a chimney.
Nearly all the old houses had no glass in the windows. They used to have lattice work of sticks. Some of the floors were made of clay, there are a great many house in the country that have clay floors still.
Half-doors were very common long ago. All the old houses in the country have half-doors, and some people in the country have them still. A great many of the old houses in Hacketstown have half-doors still.
Turf and sticks were used for fuel long ago. The candles in olden times were made of rushes. Candles were made locally.

The fair in Hacketstown is held on the last Saturday of very month, except in December it is held on St Thomas' Day. This fair is called the Christmas Fair.Some of the buyers transact business at the farmers' houses, others come to the town. The fair is held on the street.When the animal is sold, luck money, as it is called is given to the man who buys the animal as they consider it lucky to give it. Some people give two and six, and others give five shillings, if they get a good price.They always strike hands when making a bargain. The animals are marked with red or blue raddle Some people cut out some of the animal's hair.When an animal is sold, the halter is not given away with the animal, it is retained by the owner of the animal as it is not considered lucky to give

About 45 years ago, even, Wrestling was a great pastime in this part of the country. Parish against parish, village against village, and townland against townland. The best of 3 falls decided the winner - Two falls out of three.Hacketstown and Tynock used come to wrestle against Dunlavin parish - Dunlavin, Donard and Davidtown that would mean - over here in Jones's field. I saw so many as 1,000 people, one day, in that field.The following were very good in the ring:-
John Byrne, Ballyvrahan; Timothy Dowling, Seskin; Jim Byrne - one of the best in Imaal; Thomas Keefe, and George Doyle, Stranahely; and Martin Kavanagh, Snugboro'. In the early 80's, these were the best wrestlers in Glen Imaal

In 1798 there was a battle fought in Hacketstown, Co. Carlow between the Yeomen and the Insurgents. The Insurgents from Wexford had been beaten back to that place but when the Insurgents from Wicklow and Carlow joined them they routed the Yeomen.
With the men from Wicklow was Quinn. When Quinn was fighting he received a severe bayonet wound from one of the Yeomen. When the victorious Wicklow men were returning they left Quinn lying on the battle field in mistake. Quinn attempted to follow them but fainted and fell into a drain. He lay there until he was found by some kind-hearted woman who brought him to he home and nursed him back to health. When he had recovered from his wounds he went back to his home in Glenbride. The home of this man is now past the shooting lodge of Lord Waterford.
One night Michael Dwyer and some companions were staying at a house owned by people named Lawlors. They had no provisions so Quinn came down to Valleymount for some food. The Yeomen were searching for Dwyer and they tracked Quinn back to Lawlor's. They surrounded the house but Dwyer escaped. Marks of bullets are to be seen in the walls and falling table of Lawlor's house. This Quinn died about

Mr Doyle.
The forge in Hacketstown is owned by Mr. Mc. Donald. The forge in Knockananna is owned by Mr. Keogh and the forge in Moyne is owned by Mr Stanley. There is always a large stone called a "shoeing stone" near the forge.
There was an old forge in the townland of Kilcarney on the land of Mr Griffen. It was situated near a cross-roads. The shoeing stone which belonged to the forge is still to be seen. The water which the smith uses for cooling the iron is said to cure warts. The smith is always looked upon as a very strong man. There is a story about a man who owned a forge in Rathvilly. The name of the man was Mr Doyle.
One night as he was in bed a man came to the door of the forge with a horse to get him shod. The man called up Mr Doyle and asked him to shoe the horse. Mr Doyle got up out of bed and prepared to shoe the horse. When he looked at the horses feet, he saw that the horse had five feet. The smith then said to the man that he had

owned by Mr Doyle.
There is another forge situated in Knockananna It is owned by Mr Kehoe.
The forge in Hacketstown is owned by Mr. MacDonald and the one in Moyne is owned by Mr. Stanley.
The tools the smith uses are a sledge, hammer, anvil, vice, tongs and bellows. The smith shoes horses asses and wheels. He mends farm implements.
There is one fire-place in the forge and it has a slated roof. There is a big stone outside the forge for shoeing wheels.

There are four forges in this parish. The people who keep the forges are Mr Doyle of Rathdangan, Mr Mac Donald of Hacketstown, Mr Kehoe of Knockananna and Mr Stanley of Moyne.
The tools the smith uses at his are a hammer, an anvil, a sledge and a rasp.
The smith makes ploughs, harrows and swings. The smith shoes horses and asses. The work that is done in the open air, is the shoeing of wheels.
The forge in Rathdangan is near a river.
The roof is slated and there are two

My Home District.
My Home District is Holmpatrick, Skerries, and Skerries is my parish, it is situated in the barony of Balrothery East.
There are about six hundred families in skerries and the population is two- thousand and in the summer it is twice as much.
The names most common are grimes. Doyles, Derham, Duffs and Harford. These are most Danish names because we live in Fingal. The houses are small and most of them are stated and between some of the houses are old ruins.
Milverton, Ardla Baltrasna the Lough, Barnagera and Hacketstown are some of the Districts.
There are many old people in Skerries now, and they can only speak the English language. An old woman long ago died at a hundred. Her name was Mrs Delakoyde and she lived in the bonvent lane and the house she was living in is built into a big one now. The lands are