DOI: 10.7925/drs1.duchas_4922035
title: Cromadh (C.)

description: A collection of folklore and local history stories from Cromadh (C.) (school) (Croom, Co. Limerick), collected as part of the Schools' Folklore Scheme, 1937-1938 under the supervision of teacher Bríd, Bean Mhic Eoin.
description: Old Cures / Douglas, Kathleen / Donnell, Mary O' -- Signs -- Old Sayings and Proverbs -- Some Stories of the District / Donnell, Mary O' -- Once near Carrigogunnel, a man was out very late on his way home from a neighbour's house in which he had been playing cards. -- There was a man who heard that horses could talk on Xmas Eve, and wanted to find out could it be true. -- Once a number of men, who were very fond of card-playing, sat playing cards in the big drawing room of Croom Castle. -- Long ago there lived a family who bought a fine big house. / Kirby, Nancy -- There is a fort in the parish of Croom known as Ballynooken fort, in Islandmore in the domain of Mr Roche Kelly. / Sheedy, Margaret -- There was once a man who made his living by catching leeches. / Sheedy, Margaret -- Once, before creameries were built in Co. Limerick, there was a big farmer who had so much milk that they had to churn every second day. / Sheedy, Margaret -- Customs - Marriage Customs -- Customs - Death Customs -- Customs - Births -- Customs - Customs for Seasons of the Year / Jones, B. -- A priest died in Kilkenny. / Carthy, Una Mc -- Long ago there lived a woman in Croom, whom all the neighbours thought to be a fine honest person. / Canty, Mary -- Dead Hunt / Canty, Mary -- Story of a Landlord / Devaney, Eiblis -- There lived in these parts a gay and reckless young fellow. -- Landlords of this Place / Grady, Marie O' -- Landlords of this Place / Devaney, Alice -- Banshee / Devaney, Mary -- Banshee -- Banshee / Feely, Mary -- Other Fairy Stories of the District / Carroll, Brigid -- Other Fairy Stories of the District / Carroll, Brigid -- Other Fairy Stories of the District -- Other Fairy Stories of the District -- Other Fairy Stories of the District -- Other Fairy Stories of the District -- Story / Collins, Kitty -- Story / Coleman, Thomas -- Story / Devaney, Mary -- Account of Knockfierna -- Story / Collins, Kitty -- Story / Farrell, Kitty -- Another Story / Farrell, Kitty -- How the Forget-Me-Not Got its Name -- Legend of Kilogholehane Church -- Bounded by the lake at one side is a farm owner by a man named Martin Ryan, and at the time this story happened, by his father John Ryan. -- The legend of how a glen, near Kilogholehane named "Gleann-a-capaill", got its name is proof that in early Christian times in Ireland the laity received the Blessed Sacrament under both species. -- Near my own place in Clare, about five miles on the mountainy side of Sixmile Br. is a little lake known as Coolmean Lake. -- At the foot of the same hill on the side away from the hill is the remains of a little house, known as "Potch's Cowl". -- In a certain district in Clare there lived a landlord and his five sons. -- Old Story -- Beside the main entrance to a demesne in this county, there is a a tall tree. -- Out the same gate, beside which grows the tree of the withered branch, the "midnight hunt" has often been seen to come; and once a number of men chatting hear that gate late at night were startled to hear a carriage drive furiously down the avenue. -- Few Old Stories I Heard Long Ago at Wakes -- Once, on a fine May morning, a young couple were going to Mass. -- Few Old Riddles -- Blessing of the Sally Rod -- Hairy Mollie -- In our village, too, tradition made us familiar with the name of a mythically strong man known as Louther - maybe really "laidir", but I never heard him referred to by any Christian or surname, always "Louther". -- The same old man who told me this said he remembered Louther when he was an old man. -- Another man of the district told me that Louther was once taken by the fairies. -- Near our village, too, lived an old woman called "May morning", because on May morning many a time she was caught by the farmers round about taking a bucket of water from their pumps or wells - a thing no one likes to see happening. -- Another man in the place was, at that time getting an awful time. -- There is one family in this district that has a charm against pishogues, so that they have never lost a cat. -- There is a very lonely stretch of road near the pass between Cork and Limerick known as Gleann-a-capaill. -- Strange noises, as of a number of animals moving quickly, are often hear, too, around Kilougholehan churchyard. -- This glen, as well as being rough and wild is fairly well wooded, and consequently was a great place for the "boys" to hide in during the Tan times - a very important thing in a level district with but little cover. -- Some More Stories of Louther, the Strong Man of Our Village -- Some More Stories of Louther, the Strong Man of Our Village -- Some More Stories of Louther, the Strong Man of Our Village -- We had another famous athlete long ago in our district - "ould Tom Brosnan" as he is always called. -- Tady Ben's Big Salmon -- Story about Daniel O' Connell -- Once, an old man from the country went to the market in the city near by. -- Wells -- Wells -- Wells -- Borrogone Well -- St Patrick's Well -- A similar story is told of St. Munchin's Parish (Thomondgate) in Limerick city. -- "He's like Seán na Scuab, he doesn't know himself" is a common saying at each side of the city of Limerick, and is said of a person who, having got an uprise in the world, no longer wants to have anything to do with his old companions. -- One of the famous wells of our county, probably the most famous well is St. Ita's well in Killedy. -- Mermaids -- Mermaids -- Jackie-the-Lantern is a much more common figure in stories here around. -- On the other side of the mountain the decent was so sharp that the road had to bend round in a great circle, and cover near half a mile in what could be crossed as the crow flies in 100 yards. -- In this very district there lives a man who was coming home across the fields from work one night, in the very same way as he had come for several years before and for years after without any adventure. -- To become lost like this does not always require Jackie's light. -- A somewhat similar adventure befell a workman in the same district. -- Not all lights are Jackie's mischief. -- A woman from a Kerry village told me that her great-grandfather claimed to be saved from drowning by a child he had buried in the eldest of his family. -- In another Kerry village there occurred, many years ago a very tragic event. -- The Lurgadaun, as he is called locally, follows in this place all the conventional lurgadaun stories. -- Other fairies, too, live in our local forts, apparently, or did long ago anyhow. -- Once there was a young married pair who had a very beautiful baby boy. -- Customs for Different Festivals -- Customs for Different Festivals -- There is another little animal to which the old people had a great dislike - the dardaol. -- Shrove Tuesday is the last day before Lent, and when Lent was a time during which marriages were prohibited, this last day was one on which a great many marriages took place, especially in country districts where "matches" are made.
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.