Old Ruins

transcribed at

Old Ruins  [duchas:4354871]

I know of three castles one in Ballyhowley, one in Mourneen, another in Brye.  The one in Ballyhowley is in the best state of Preservation.  They were built by the Daens.  They were built about three centuries ago.  When first the British or as they were called the Anglo-saxon, they distroyed all those castles.  History records a great battle being fought at Ballyhowley, The British pitched there camp the night before on the lands of Maugheraboy but the Irish atacked them

Old Ruins  [duchas:4354872]

before morning and the river by the castle ran red with blood.  There is a lot of old shrubs growing near by the castle.  Old folks say they mark the burying place of the slain.  The British were defeated part of the castle was knocked afterwards by a cannon ball from the hill of Breen.  There are the ruens of old abbeys or churches in all the old grave-yards.  They are hallowed spots by those old ruins.  There is one in Knock, one in Bakon, one in Killcolman, one in Ballansmalla and the present abbey or friery in Ballyhaunis.  There is History to those old monastrys that would fill pages.

Old Ruins  [duchas:4354873]

James Kielty, Garrybawn, Knock.

Told by:-Martin Kielty, Garrybawn, Knock.  Age, 47 years.