DOI: 10.7925/drs1.duchas_5009051
title: Rathwire (B.)

description: A collection of folklore and local history stories from Rathwire (B.) (school) (Rathwire, Co. Westmeath), collected as part of the Schools' Folklore Scheme, 1937-1938 under the supervision of teacher C. Ó Gallóglaigh.
description: Folklore -- Six miles from Mullingar to the east lies my native village Rathwire. -- There was a story told of a certain man called Connor who imigrated to Australia. -- In the village of Rathwire several small industries existed. -- When the river flows from Riverstown and before reaching Thomastown mill are a row of hills rising up from river. -- Thomastown was a stopping place long ago for the fly boats on the canal. -- On the main road from the village of Rathwire and midway to Killucan... -- In the district around Killucan are some old land marks. -- In the rectory land and facing the R.C. church is a wooded hill called Árd-Own. -- Local folklore of Riverstown and Porterstown. -- St Lucan who founded the abbey of Killucan was supposed to be a sister of St Patrick... -- The castle of Porterstown was built they say by a man named Porter. -- Rathwire is a village in Westmeath situated on an eminence near the summit level... -- Grangebeg and Grangemore 2500 acres and 600 acres respectively were both church property. -- In the good old days when abbeys and churches flourished in our isle it was the custom... -- Lisnabin belonged to Sir Nicholas Darcy in 1641. -- Grangemore (the big farm) the largest house in Westmeath was church property at one time... -- Grangebeg (the little farm) was also church land owned by Sir Nicholas Darcy who had a castle here in 1641. -- Ballyhaw (the townsland of the battle). -- The only account of hidden treasure in the district is the one referred to already... -- As regards weather-lore the commonest observation on hears in the morning is... -- The greatest wrestlers this district produced were Cleary from Hydepark... -- There are two famous storytellers in this locality. -- The greatest fire that took place in this district was the burning of Hannon's flour mill fifty years ago. -- Old People say that before the big wind in 1839 the district around Killucan was very densely wooded... -- When the famine came in 46-47 the people were starving. -- The old people say during the years previous to the famine there was never such a big crop of potatoes in the district. -- There are many thatched houses in the district so that we have many men who are expert thatchers. -- Just beside the school there was a nailers forge. -- There were many lime kilns in this district some years ago. -- In Olden times most of the marriages took place about Shrove. -- There are two mass pathways leading to Rathwire Church. -- Just Opposite Rathwire Church in the Rectory land is a hill called Ardán and a little farther down... -- Nearly every kind of wild bird is to be found in the district. -- There are some local cures in the district... -- There are very few homemade toys nowadays. -- Some years ago very many travelling folk or shulers as they were called here used ti visit this district... -- There were very few local poets in the neighborhood of Killucan... -- Old people say that there were many more houses in this district before the famine... -- Many of the old games that used to be played in this district up to thirty years ago by the children... -- The Only roads with names of their own in the district are The Tocar... -- The only holy well in this district is one on Christy Connor farm in Sarsfieldstown. -- The most harmful herbs or weeds are the thistle, nettle, dock, dandelion... -- Most of the potatoes in this district are sown in drills. -- There used to be an old custom of putting flaggers or rushes at the doors... -- The usual farm animals are kept by the farmer in this district. -- About forty years ago there were two very big racing stables in this district. -- Some years ago there was a cooper named Monaghan who lived in Killucan... -- when dash churns are used the dash is worked upwards and downwards... -- There are three forges in the parish. -- There are the ruins of an old Catholic Church still standing in the Protestant graveyard. -- The ancient abbey or monastery in Killucan was dedicated to St Margaret. -- The local fair in Killucan is held in the fair-green and in the streets of the village. -- This district is famous for Hereford Cattle. -- The Landlord of the district is Lord Longford whose family residence is Packenham Hall... -- Mr Brischoc Curristown told me that the Darcys were formerly a Catholic Family. -- When times were bad in this district people lived on two meals a day. -- One hears the name McLoughlin Mr Briscoe tells me they were Catholics. -- One hears the name McLoughlin Mr Briscoe tells me they were Catholics. -- The difference between kinds bread used in olden times were oaten bread... -- There were shops in Rathwire in olden times because there used to be a market in the village. -- Old mud houses are still plentiful in the bog district around Killucan. -- The ruins of two castles are still to be seen in the district. -- It is Said that there was a graveyard in the field... -- It is a common belief in this district that the farmhouse now occupied by... -- During the Land League days a family named Garty was evicted... -- As the Rev Mr Falconer Killucan...
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.