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Ballinderreen 1913

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Collected by Kitty Moran, Ballinderreen N.S from Mrs Thomas Moran

Photo: EO’D

BACKGROUND
On Mr De Valeras first visit to Galway in the year 1913 the Sinn Féiners engaged all the sidecars in the parishes to go to the meeting. The meeting was held on New Year Day and the Sinn Féiners painted Pat Smyth’s horse because he did not go to Galway like the others. This song was composed by James O Connor Ballinderreen

Thomas dear and did you hear your horse was painted green
And taken from his stable and drove through Ballinderreen
We thought it was a circus horse with colours bright and gay
But it was a piece of good advice to remember New Years Day.

II
Pat Smyth arrived upon the seen and standing five foot two
He said he would revenge his gallant steed the pride of Caheradoo
He pursued the noble animal but his efforts were in vain
For the horse he boldly started off and snorted up Sinn Féin
III
Friends gathered round from Mulrook
and from Cillín Aran too.
To try to solve the mystery of the horse from Caheradoo.
But the perpetrators they were gone and behind them left no trail
They tied a flag upon his name and one hung from his tail
IV
And sure it was an ugly thing to treat the horse like that
For we all had veneration for Tom and little Pat
The Sinn Feiners they are gone to hell and that’s plain to be seen
They’d paint the very devil in that place called Ballinderreen
V
So now to conclude and finish and I think its nearly time
I hope you will excuse me I’m a little out of rhyme
But they say the Smyths have sworn and promised without delay
To send their horse to Galway on the coming New Years day.

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0033B, Page 03_042
National Folklore Collection, UCD

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The Flaggy Shore

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0615, Page 245
Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD
Ballyvaughan N.S
THE FLAGGY SHORE
There is a special spot in New Quay. It has derived its name from the vast number of enormous rocks which are still to be seen near the shore. The following story is told about this special spot :-
Once upon a time the devil came into Clare. He had nearly all the people of Clare under his control, but the people of New Quay resolved he would never enter. The devil came along one morning holding his little son by the hand. The people of New Quay were well prepaired (sic) for him, so the fight started. They flung stones at one another, but luckily enough the devils little son wasn’t able to fire the stones far enough, and the stones and flags were all in the same spot. This special spot has the honour of being called FlaggyShore.
Tradition tells us that once upon a time St Bridget was going to church. As she was near Bellharbour, the thunder rolled and the lightning flashed, and the rain poured. St Bridget prayed to God for some shelter and that very moment a huge tree sprang up yb the power of God. Bridget prayed that any poor person who would go that way would have shelter. This bush is now called Sgeach Brighid.
It is said the banshee is one of the fallen angels who died without being baptised, and is therefore sent to this world to get penance and forgiveness. It is said there is a special room in Skeretts house and the door was never opened, the banshee is supposed to live in this room. It is said the banshee makes it her headquarters and always lived there when she was not occupied screeching around other dwellings as her calling requires. She always sleeps in the room and no one ever dared to disturb her.The floor is supposed to be covered all over a foot high with the dried leaves which blow in from the tress (sic) through the little round openings which represent windows. Sometimes she represents an owl a cat and very often a bat flying through the window in the twilight. She always cries most dismally before the death of a Kerins, Skettett, Traynor, Mac or O.
Collected by Caitlín Ní Fhathaigh, age14 from Michael Wall, age 86
Finavarra Demesne, Co. Clare

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The Long Black Hand

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0036, Page 0210

The long black hand

National Folklore Collection, UCD.
From Ardrahan, Co. Galway
Teacher: Tomas S. O Meadhra
Collector: Cahal Kelly from Michael Kelly, Ardrahan.
There was a certain old witch in Kinvara and she lived under a big tree with five branches out of it. Every night at ten o’clock she used to come out on the road and every one that would pass she would kill them. There was one brave man in Ballindereen named Blake and this night there was a great banquet in Clough. The people of the place told Mr. Blake that there was a ghost in the place and he would not believe it. He sent a soldier named Hynes to see if this was true. They gave him three sheaves of oats by which he would know if the ghost was there. The man with the sheaves of oats ran on around the grave three times and the third time she hit him with the lid of a churn. The man went from the place about three miles and the long black hand gripped to the horses mane. He drew his sword and cut the hand up near the shoulder. A voice said ‘Hit again. You have enough and keep it.’ He went home and told them but they would not believe him. He told them to go out and see the long black hand on the horse’s mane and they did and found the horse dead.