Strange Animals

At Derrymore Lake, which is about nine miles north east of Ennis a very large eel is seen. About eight years ago a certain man set a line for pike and caught this eel. He could not get the eel [in] out of the lake so he went for more men to help him. After a great deal of pulling, they got the eel out and pulled it about one hundred yards away from the water. Again the eel started to pull back towards the lake and he dragged all the men after him and would have pulled them into the lake only they let go the line. At Spancilhill, which is about four miles north east of Ennis a black dog was seen. One night about a year ago, a certain man, who was returning home from his cusirt after midnight saw this dog. The animal appeared suddenly in the road. He was about the size of a sheep and had two green eyes. The man stood terrified, afraid to pass the dog, but the latter disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

An Sí Gaoithe

One fine day in the month of July, a party of men and women were saving hay in the townland of Knockanoura, Clooney, Quin, County Clare. The day was very calm, and not a movement of the air could be felt. There was a fort situated in the adjoining field. Suddenly they observed a cloud of dust coming. it hovered over their heads for some time. The sky was cloudless and the sudden appearance of this cloud put wonder on everybody. It kept whirling about for about three minutes, and then it fell softly down at the feet of the workers, and they saw it was hay. There was not hay around for some distance, and the wind that carried the hay so far is called “An Side Jaore”. The old people say that when “Jaor na Side” is noticed one should not stand in its way but, stand aside and let it pass.

Dangan School

A Story

About thirty years ago a young man in the Parish of Clooney,Quin, Co. Clare told me he was coming home, one night about half past one o’clock from a wake. As he was passing a certain house in his own townland he saw a light shining through the kitchen window.
In this house were an old man and an old woman a couple of boys and a girl or two as far as I can remember. As he knew none of the boys or girls was at the wake he was inquisitive to know why there was light in the house so late.
So he stole over to the window and looked in, and what did he see but the old man walking up and down the floor, a sugawn thrown across one of the collarties of the roof, and two ends of the sugawn hanging down and the old woman drawing the two ends of the sugawn, like she’d be milking a cow, and filling the churn with milk.

Dangan School

A Story

I remember hearing one time about a priest who was called one morning to attend a sick call. As it was an urgent call he went across the fields to the house. On his way he came on an old woman unknown to her. She was down on her knees and she had a ‘sugawn’ in her hands. He heard her saying “Give all to me, Give all to me. Give all to me”Do not” said the priest, “Give half to me”. When the old woman heard the voice, she looked behind her and when she saw who it was in it, she got up at once and ran away leaving the sugawn behind her. The priest took up the sugawn and when he saw what it was, he said to himself, “This will come handy when we are saving the hay in the harvest”. So he took home the sugawn and threw it up in the garret. When the time came to save the hay, the priest remembered the sugawn he threw up in the garret. He told one of his men to go up for it and when the man went up in the garret there was no sugawn there but a big lump of butter. 

Dangan School

A Cross

Some 200 hundred years ago men were digging in Deer park Hill ,Ballykilty ,Quin. They came on a stone cross, the arms of which were each six feet long.

The stone was as clean and as smooth as glass with no sign of chisel mark on it. It was removed to the Church Cross, Quin and erected there. It was around this cross the market used to be held.

The people used to bring their butter, eggs and fowl,Piqqins, flannels, socks, brogues, and all home articles were sold there. The famous Clare scythes, hooks and scythe stones were also for sale there.

There is no trace of this cross now. Some say it was buried at the crossroad when the newline Road was made.

Dan Corbett, Ballykilty, Quin

A Famous Class Horse

About ninety years ago ,the Bridgeman’s of Caherkine, Quin owned a race horse named Heaven’s Delight. He was never beaten and as the races were run in heats at the time it was very hard to win a race. On one occasion he ran at Ballycoree Races near Ennis. There were seven heats in the Race and the seventh heat which was run by candle light was won by Heaven’s Delight.

He became as famous as a stallion as he was as a race horse and mares were brought to him from all parts of Ireland. He was kept constantly in the stable where he was neglected by his owner and it is said he died of hunger.

He was buried in the lawn in front of the hall door or by a wall on the southern side of the lawn. Some years ago a large sum of money was offered by Mr Studdert, Cullane to any person who would find the skull of this famous horse. He wanted to have it preserved in Dublin.

A Mermaid

Killone Lough is about a mile distant from Ennis. It was said that this lake, was at one time, the abode of a mermaid. There was a ‘big house’ in Newhall which was occupied by a family of the O’Brien’s and wasn’t far from the lake.

It is said the mermaid used swim up a small river and steal wine out of the cellars of Newhall. The butler lay in wait for robbers but what did he see coming into the cellar, but a woman as he thought….it was a mermaid that was in it and he stabbed her.

As she floated away down the river into the lake she prophesied that the O’Brien’s in Newhall would all die out. Her blood stained all the lake and the water still becomes a rusty red at long intervals,and is said to foretell a change of families in Newhall House.

Dangan School

A Ghost Story

Late one night many years ago there was a priest on a sick -call at a farm house. When he was on his way home he was accompanied by the farmer across the fields. When going over a wall the priest knocked a stone and the farmer made an attempt to lift it but the priest told him not to have anything to do with it the man being inquisitive wanted to know the reason but the priest wouldn’t tell him. Still he kept asking so much that he vexed the priest who told him that if he looked underneath the uplifted arm of the priest he would never forget what he would see. The man persisted on the priest lifting his arm and the priest in a rage allowed him to look and what the man saw shortened his days. It is said he saw the lost souls of he world hanging between heaven and earth. The sight preyed so much on the man’s mind he died a short time afterwards.

Dangan School

A Story

There was a woman living in Crogán, Doora ,Ennis and she could never make any butter. Her two sons said one May Eve that they would stay up that night and go to the field to see if anybody would come to milk the cows. They took their guns about eleven o’clock that night and went to the field where the cows used to be kept. They sat at the gate going into it, and they remained there until three o’clock in the morning. As they were very cold and tired, and as nothing had come they said they would go home. As they were about to go a large hare jumped over the wall into the field. It went to where the cows were and began to milk one of them. One of the boys fired at it, and it jumped over the wall again and ran away. The boys followed the hare and it went into a house. They followed it in and when they went in there was a woman lying on the floorbleeding.They knew her very well. She asked them not to tell anybody. They then went home and they had butter ever afterwards. The woman died the next day.

Dangan School

Thunder And Lightning

There was a great thunderstorm on the 14th of August 1873. Before the storm the sky was very dark and there were very heavy showers. Some people were killed by the lightning. Some houses were knocked and roofs were blown off some houses. Cattle were killed, trees were knocked and crops were destroyed. The people were praying and shaking holy water during the storm. Some people were caught out saving hay. The birds and animals were looking for shelter during the storm and some animals were racing about the field. All the wild animals went into their burrows when the storm began. There is a very large stone in Paddy Markham’s field which is said to have been brought there by this storm.

Dangan School

A Funny Story

This story was told by James McNamara, Ballyhickey, Quin, Co. Clare. To Eilis McNamara, Hazelwood, Quin.

A man named Mickie Devaney had an Irish terrier and he used to let him sleep in the kitchen every night. Before Mickie went to bed he used ‘rake’ the fire, fill the kettle and hang it down. At seven o’clock every morning the terrier used scrape out the ashes, light the fire and boil the kettle, and hop on to the bed and bark into Mickie’s ear to call him when the kettle was boiled. This same dog used always fight with a dog belonging to Jack Halpin of Ardsollus. At last Mickey’s dog died and he was so fond of the dog that he got a waistcoat made of the skin. One night as Mickey was passing Halpin’s wearing the waistcoat he met the dog that his dog used fight with. Immediately the hair stood upon the waistcoat preparing to fight as if Mickey’s own dog was present

Dangan School

Hidden treasure in Quin

Told by Dan Clune, aged 72. Collected by Mary O’Brien

Once upon a time a man lived in Moohane near Quin. One night he dreamt that there was gold hidden in Quin abbey, the place in which he dreamt the gold was under the Domestic Bush.
A few nights afterwards himself and two other men went to look for the gold. Before they went into the abbey, they went into Denis Moloney’s house and drank three glasses of whiskey to make them warm as it was a cold night.
When they entered the abbey they began digging but immediately a big wild animal came and roared on the spot in which they were working and asked them in a loud voice what brought them there. They ran for their lives, so they did not succeed in finding the gold, and neither did they know what the animal was.

Fire crane

Thomas Crowe, shoemaker, Quin, Co. Clare, remembers the late Michael Murray, a carpenter in Quin having in his possession a fire ‘crane’ and a large door or gate key which he found in the Abbey. He can’t trace the present possessors of these articles.

Ballykilty stonework

John Sammon, Quin, Co. Clare, says there is a large stone which was taken from Quin Abbey incorporated with the stonework over the fireplace in the kitchen in Ballykilty House, Quin .This stone bears the date 1614 and the names John Macnamara and O Nora Clanchy .

Story

Told by John Sammon, Quin
Quin Abbey was built as a result of a vow made Macon Macnamara ,Lord Clanculein in 1402.At the time he was living in Dangan Castle. His son and heir, a boy of four years of age was found missing search being made for him, he was found in a pond in the lawn and taken out dead. His parents made a vow that if God restore him to them they would found a church in Quin as a thanksgiving offering. The boy was restored to life on the Feast of St. Francis the 4th of October 1402.On that day the boy received the additional name of Francis ,a name much honored by the Macnamara family from that time to the present.

Entertainment for Man and Horse

Told by Dan Corbett, Ballykilty, Quin, Co. Clare.

On a stone gate pier leading to Mr Blood’s land in Ardsollus, Quin, Co. Clare was a large flat stone on which was written in large” cut” letters: “Entertainment for Man and Horse” It is supposed it was in the wall of one of the hostels which stood near the famous Race Course of Ardsollus. This stone was removed from the pier by some person unknown and cannot now be traced.

Birthmarks & being ‘In the family way’

Told by Miss M. K. Carmody, Quin, Co. Clare.

 Mrs. G-. Quin, Co. Clare, got her teeth taken out in Ennis, while she was carrying a baby. When the child ,a girl was born, her face was very much disfigured, especially about the mouth.

A policeman’s wife was skinning a rabbit one day. She was carrying a child at the time. The blood of the rabbit “spattered” her face and when the child was born there were bloodred marks all over her face.

A woman who was in the family way sent her son for two ounces of tobacco. When he returned he knew the tobacco, he threw the tobacco, out of fun, at his mother and it struck her in the forehead over the eyes .When the child was born, there was a birthmark across its forehead just over the eyebrows.

The old people used to say it wasn’t right for a woman in child to look at ugly things, especially animals such as hares lions, tigers or bears as used to be seen in a travelling circus.

Women in the family way had a terrible dread of meeting a performing bear which used to be seen with Italians long ago going from village to village.

They used also say that it wasn’t right for a woman in child to pick fruit of any kind, or to fill pig’s puddings.

Quin School

Relic of the Famine days in Quin
The iron pots in which the free soup and meal were prepared for the relief of the poor in Quin are still in existence. One is in possession of Mr Dan Clune and is used as a water trough. It is on a farm 200 yards outside the village on the Quin-Tulla road. The other is in the possession of Mr Frank Clune. He has it as a water trough in his Quinville farm.

The yeomanry

Told by William Cullinan, aged 60, Snugborogh

The yeomanry had barracks in Quin and during ’98 they captured a man who refused to divulge any information to them. They had him whipped and subjected him to other cruelties. At last they decided to hang him. They procured a car and proceeded to hang him from the shafts. The shafts were not high enough to suspend the man. The Yeomanry then caused a hole to be dug underneath the victims feet and in this way they succeeded in hanging him. This happened at the Cross of Quin. Ever since the place is haunted and it is reported that a soldier has often been seen at the Cross.
I could not discover the name of the man being hung at the Cross still lingers among the villagers.
It is also a tradition that a man named Clune was tied to the shafts of a car and flogged through the village.

 Untitled

Told by Tom Crowe, aged 70

Patt Moylan of Madara Quin Co Clare was going to Limerick with a creel of pigs to sell. It is seventeen miles from Quin to Limerick .Patt started at twelve O’clock at night in order to be in time ,as he had to walk the horse the whole way to Limerick. Going through Quin ,all had retired to rest but he met a man dressed in his army officer’s uniform at Quin Cross. Patt was surprised because there were no soldiers nearer than Limerick but Patt remembered the story that an officer shot himself in a house at the Cross the time the soldiers were in Quin very many years previously .Patt continued his journey and passing the field adjacent to the abbey he saw a host of people .Amongst them he recognized many people long since dead. Going through Rathluby he encountered another ghost. This time he saw a white woman going with the wind and disappearing in the direction of Rathluby Fort. Patt was not done with his adventures. Passing Thomond Bridge early in the morning his grey horse broke his leg.

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Told by Tom Crowe, aged 70

Wm Slattery Moyriesk Quin Co Clare was very friendly with Mr Tom Singleton a protestant gentleman that lived in Quinville, Quin. Both were very fond of fowling and Slattery used very often accompany Singleton home to Quinville and remain with him to a late hour chatting. On one occasion Slattery was returning home. The hour was late and quite dark. It was with difficulty that he could make his way along the avenue. Suddenly three large barrels rolled before him exuding bright light as they careered along .Slattery was bewildered but not unnerved .He watched the proceedings away from him, but all at once the barrels changed their direction and came pell mell towards him. Slattery had just time to let them pass. He watched them in their mad flight disappear through a window in the upper storey of Quinville Big House.
Slattery continued home quite unnerved this time, because he felt something weird surrounding him. When he reached home all were in bed and he went to his bedroom as quickly as he could. He could not sleep and remained awake until daybreak.
Next day he did not tell his experience to anybody, but tried to do his business as best he could. He could not become interested in his work and at last determined to go to Quin to have a drink to steady his nerves. In Quin he was informed that Mr Tom Singleton died the previous night. He had a “stroke” and died shortly afterwards .Wm Slattery could scarcely talk and the publican noticing his discomfiture enquired what was the matter .Slattery with difficulty related his experience and told he had left Mr Singleton hale and hearty in his drawing room about twelve o’clock the night before. Slattery said they partook of some refreshment but nothing unusual. It was always remarked that light was seen before the departure of any member of the Quinville family for the next world.

Untitled

 When he brought the silver from Quin he dug the hole better and put the silver into it, and the earth back into the hole again and packed it well. When the man came he dug a sod or two himself and found the silver. He went back to Dublin and told the head man. The head man sent word to the men that were digging for the silver to keep digging. The men were working for six months more. When the six months were ended the headman came again. He was very surprised to see that they found no more silver and he told the man to work at that hole no more. The is a fort in the same place build of earth and rocks ,the ruins of which are still visible. It is said that the man that was living in the fort could turn himself into any shape he liked as he pleased. He was said to be a Fear Bolg .This time the Fir Bolg were hunted out of every part of Ireland but County Clare. When County Clare was taken from the Fir Bolg, it is said that this man changed himself into a hare. The hare is still in the fort and is seen by many hunting men, and is also seen by many other people .Many hunters tried to kill him but could not.

Quin Abbey

Told by James O’Dea

It is said that there was a secret passage underground between the abbey and Knoppogue Castle, a distance of four miles away. People making a grave in the abbey a short while ago came upon an underground passage leading in the direction of Knoppogue.
It is said that the monks of the Abbey were successful in storing the sacred vessels in Knoppogue by means of the secret passage, during the Cromwellian Wars. A good portion of the Castle of Knoppogue is still intact and habitable and it is the common belief of the people of the neighbourhood that its cellars now covered by a modern mansion contain much that belonged to Quin Abbey long ago.
It was the Mc Namara clan that built Quin Abbey. It is said that a son of the Chief of the Mc Namaras was drowned in a river quite convenient to the spot where the ruins of the Abbey now stand. Prayers were said to St Francis (because it was his feast day) that if the boy were restored to life of a Franciscan Monastery would grace the spot where the dead body lay. Through the intercession of St Francis the boy came to life again ,and so the abbey was built. Francis is still a common name in every McNamara family in the district. At the north Eastern end of the Abbey is a foundation stone on which is marked 1432. (I could never discover this stone but Dr. John Clune on whose lands the abbey lay told me he often saw it. )James O Dea ,now deceased told me that when a boy playing with others in the abbey fields he discovered a long key in portion of the ruins a long distance away from the abbey proper. A local carpenter took charge of the key and when antiquarians visited the abbey afterwards ,the carpenters gave them the key. It is now deposited in the National Museum Dublin.

Ballycar School