DOI: 10.7925/drs1.duchas_5008908
title: Walterstown

description: A collection of folklore and local history stories from Walterstown (school) (Walterstown, Co. Meath), collected as part of the Schools' Folklore Scheme, 1937-1938 under the supervision of teacher Proinseas, Bean Uí Cheallaigh.
description: Before the old road was closed in, on The Old Mill side of the road, this happened. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- There was an old man named Johnny Boyle who lived in an old house at Crush-a-Roddy. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- An old man names Pat Byrd was coming home one night on the Church Road. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- When a cat scrapes you, just pull as much "down" as would come with you at once and out it on the scrape. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Peter McDonald and Joe Hoey have the cure of the "dirty mouth". / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Johnny Traynor, Grandfather of the present Traynors) who lived at Walterstown Castle, was coming home one night from Navan when he heard steps hurrying after him. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Near the house where Dicky Kierans is living, in the Lismullon Road, there is a hill called Saddle Hill. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Near Tully's Lane there is an old house where this happened. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Paid Wheeler, a a man who lived about Walterstown was in Somerville one day. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Johnny Maguire, nicknamed The Caudy, lived in Derby's Lane. / Kelly, Mary B. -- In Boylamh of Hilltown there was a prize cow that the Boylamh thought the world of. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Caudie Maguire was sent to Duleek for cattle by Old Peter Austin of Slanduff. / Kelly, Mary B. -- Two people who marry and have the same name can cure the chin-cough. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- When the jackdaws fly up against the wind and fall back, this is the sign of storm. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Peter Cullen, or Cullen the Slater was a slater by trade and he lived about Walterstown somewhere. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Johnny Mulligan, a carpenter who lived in the Drogheda Road, Walterstown, used to be ceilidhing up about Runahan (Kentstown Parish). / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- From the big Beach Tree over on the Glen Road to the end of the Glen Lane there is a stray step. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Collier the Robber -- There was once a man called Critchley and occassionally he used to go to a hill in Lismullen land called Reloo where he used to be taken away by the fairies and he often was away for a fortnight. / Browne, Clare -- Willie Handlon lived in the Glen. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Merryman lived at the old castle of Walterstown. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Mrs John Reilly a school teacher who lived in my own house used to go every evening for a walk as far as the Five Roads. / Kavanagh, Florence -- There was once a griddle in the Glen. / Browne, Clare -- Cure / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Little Red Men / Kelly, M. B. -- Many years ago there was a mine-hole in front of George Clarke's house, and one day while the people were at dinner the mine-hole fell in and all the tools were buried. / Browne, Clare -- Johnny Boyle who lived at Cross a Greallaigh used to go to Darby's shop every night for things. / Kavanagh, Florence -- If you suffer from pains and if you go to the mearing of two parishes nine times and get water there nine times you can get cured. / Kavanagh, Florence -- When a frog come in, it is going to be wet. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Paddy Wheeler, who lived around Walterstown, used to be fishing and the bobbies used to be out after him. / Kavanagh, Florence -- At the time Paddy Wheeler lived in Walterstown, The Baushla River was full of trout. / Kelly, Mrs -- Where Michael Byrd of the Trim Road (locally Slanduff Road) is now living there used to be a forge. / Kavanagh, Florence -- One night Johnny Mulligan (a carpenter who lived on the Slanduff Road in Walterstown Parish) went out to pick mushrooms around the fields at Slanduff. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Mr. Macken (RIP) who lived near the chapel of Walterstown, used to own the land in which is St Patrick's Well. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Long ago there used to be a forge where Jim Poland's House is now - in Walterstown near the chapel. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Strong Man / Kavanagh, Florence -- Moate Field / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Many years ago there stood at Walterstown Chapel a flourishing Public house and a provision shop. / Browne, Clare -- Where the present Walterstown school is there once was an old thatched school. / Browne, Clare -- A little way by Mickie Byrd in Farrell's field there is a big stone. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Christy and Pat Macken every night used to sit at the fire for a chat. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Mrs Gaffney who lived at Proudstown say about 20 yds at this side of Browne's House was getting water at the well at the off side of the road. / Kelly, Mary B. O' -- Cure of the Whittle / Kelly, Mary B. -- Thorn in the Hand / Kelly, Mary B. -- To Cure the Whooping-Cough / Kelly, Mary B. -- Cave / Kelly, Mary B. -- Innocent Johnny / Kelly, Mary B. -- There used to be two men shovelling wheat in the Lime-kiln Hill, just opposite Michael Byrd's door on the Drogheda-Trim Road. / Kelly, Mary B. -- Harvest Time / Kavanagh, Florence -- Stone in Farrell's Field / Kavanagh, Florence -- Cure for a Pain in the Side / Kavanagh, Florence -- Macken's Publicans and Farmers who lived opposite the present School in Walterstown. were at one time very well off. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Planting the Oats / Kavanagh, Florence -- Cure for the Sore Throat / Kavanagh, Florence -- Christy Macken used to plant potatoes in a stocking. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Old Blessings / Kavanagh, Florence -- School / Kavanagh, Florence -- House and a Shop / Kavanagh, Florence -- Paid Connely / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Merryman / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Weather-Lore / Byrne, Clare -- Round O -- Fairy Music / Browne, Clare -- Mickey Lynch had an uncle who used to play cards in Walterstown. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Old Houses / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Common Birds of the District / Brown, Clare -- Forge / Tuohy, Thomas -- Public House -- Castle / Tuohy, Thomas -- Weather-Signs -- There lived between Slanduff and Walterstown in an old thatched house a family called Mulligans. / Tuohy, Thomas -- Caudy Maguire -- Betty McGrath / Tuohy, Thomas -- Walterstown Castle -- Walterstown National School -- Big Wind -- Marriages usually take place immediately before Lent and immediately after. -- If it rains before seven it will clear before eleven. -- Where I live now there once lived people of the name of Wilsons. / Browne, Clare -- Signs / Kavanagh, Florence -- Without title -- There were Brahmin hens and Bantam cocks, and Loughrans there to crow. -- Bird-Lore / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Fairy-Lore / Collins, Alacoque -- Templekeeran Graveyard / Collins, Alacoque -- Seven Little Men / Collins, Alacoque -- Seven Little Men / Collins, Alacoque -- Cure of the Blast / Collins, Alacoque -- One night Daddy's father was coming home from work and he saw a lot of little black men on the road before him and when he was passing, they all made a division to let him pass. / Collins, Alacoque -- One night about two months ago, some very red lights were seen up in the north. -- Ghost / Collins, Alacoque -- Weather-Signs / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Fairy Man / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Cure for the Dirty Mouth / Kavanagh, Florence -- Wakes Long Ago / Kavanagh, Florence -- Graveyards / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Animals / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Funeral Customs / Kavanagh, Florence -- Marriage Long Ago / Kavanagh, Florence -- Saying / Kavanagh, Florence -- One night Mickie Monaghan and Jack Darby dreamt that there was money hidden near the old castle. / Kavanagh, Florence -- This is how they use to make the mud for mud-walls of the old houses. / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Many years ago Skyrne could boast one of the best Fairs in Ireland. / Browne, Clare -- Names of Farms According to Roads / Kavanagh, Florence -- There was a big wind in 1903 and it destroyed alot of things in the Parish. / Collins, Alacoque -- There was a widow living in Walterstown and she had a few acres of land, and the Landlord would come for the rent. / Kennedy, John -- Mr Patrick Moore had a forge. / Moroe, Patrick -- This is a cure that the old people used to have. / Collins, Alucoque -- Farms of this Parish / Kelly, Bernadette -- Cures - Herbs / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Cures / Kelly, Bernadette -- Burial Custom -- Custom - Sunday Classes / Kelly, Mrs -- Saddle Hill -- Collier the Robber / Kennedy, Lizzie -- Good Runner -- Rock Road farms are in Thomas Donelly's. -- Hemlock mixed in buttermilk and sheep washed with it, keeps the flies away from them. / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- In Gerraldstown Castle on the Johnstown Road, there is beautiful stain-Glass in part of the roof. / Kelly, Alphonsus -- At Rowntree's there is a water-stone. / Kelly, Alphonsus -- Johnny Kelly of Kentstown, now dead, was born in the Parish of Walterstown at the Old Mills in the farm of Fairland. / Kelly, Bernadette -- Old Sayings -- Crush-a-Roddy -- Harvesting / Kelly, Alphonsus -- Bell / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Hidden Treasure / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Portlan Brian / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Old Custom -- Connellys / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Johnny Boyle who lived at Crush was working at the Hollows at Daly's near The Nanny River. -- Hughie Eggnot -- Innocent Mickey / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Merryman / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Travellers / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Paddy Butterly / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Matrimony / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Rev James O' Callaghan / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Salt Man / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Old Sayings / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Old School / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Bird-Lore / Kavanagh, Florence -- Bird-Lore / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Bird-Lore - Colours of Birds / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- In olden times people had three meals. / Kavanagh, Florence -- The kind of a churn that Mrs Donnelly had is a dash churn. / Kavanagh, Florence -- Care of the Feet / Kavanagh, Florence -- Cures / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Churning / Kelly, Alphonsus G. O' -- Flummery -- Leaven Bread / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Poor People / Kelly, A. G. O' -- Working Men / Kelly, A. G. -- Football / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Old Stones / Kelly, M. B. O' -- When the priest was collecting pennies at mass one day, he said to a man - "What is matrimony? "Hell upon earth for some me Lord", the man answered. / Kelly, Mary B. O' -- Prayers / Kelly, M. B. -- St Patrick's Cross / Kelly, M. B. -- Girls used to get cabbage and hang it up in the kitchen on November Eve. / Kelly, M. B. -- One night Paddy Reynolds - son of James Reynolds - went asleep in the same room as the Big Fellow. / Kelly, M. B. O' -- In Staffordstown churchyard there is a stone and Latin is on it and Mrs Butler brought it to the garden and invited a minister from Kilmessan and one from Skryne to a garden party on the following Saturday. / Kelly, M. B. O' -- In Farrel's land above Walterstown, there are cropies buried in a place called the "Round O". / Kelly, M. B. O' -- Bread -- Suppers Long Ago / Kelly, Mary B. -- Oonan (Tommy) was working for Charlie Rothwell who lived on the Navan Road, Staffordstown. / Kelly, Mary B. -- Treasure / Kelly, Mary B. -- Rush Candles / Kelly, Mary B. -- Treasure / Kelly, M. B. -- Templekeeran / Kelly, Mary B. -- Meals to the Poor / Kelly, M. B. -- Penal Days -- Thatcher / Kelly, Mary B. -- Candles -- Pike-Maker -- Rope-Making / Kelly, Mary B. -- Mill Farm / Kelly, Mary B. -- Cures / Harford, Maureen -- Landlords / Harford, Maureen -- Old Houses / Harford, Maureen -- Mumps -- Whooping-Cough -- Travellers / Collins, Alacoque -- If you hear an ass braying, it is the sign of wet weather. / Collins, Alacoque -- Games -- Roads -- Mass Paths / Collins, Alacoque -- Old Custom / Collins, Alacoque -- Toys -- Days / Kelly, Mary B. -- Old Custom -- Tommy Kieramh atacked to take away "Saddle Hill". / Kelly, Mary B. -- There was a woman who used to pass through this parish when Jimmy was a young chap. -- Old Saying -- Hay Football / Kelly, Mary B. -- Proverbs / Kelly, Mary B. -- Proverbs / harford, Maureen -- Proverbs and Sayings / Kelly, Mary B. -- When the boys are playing Pitch and Toss they have a saying All on the road for Keating. / Kelly, Mary B. -- Landlords / Harford, Maureen -- Snow-Storm / Harford, Maureen
description: Supported by funding from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (Ireland), University College Dublin, and the National Folklore Foundation (Fondúireacht Bhéaloideas Éireann), 2014-2016.