Knigh Castle: A Christmas Haunting

Knigh Castle near Puckane in North Tipp.
There is a sad bit of folklore attached to it to featuring Christmas Eve.
"It is said that when the Normans were routed out of the castle, a poor man and his son went to live in it. This son took sick. One morning he was very ill, but still his father went out to work. When he returned at night his son was dead. The man was so heart-broken after him that he laid down by his side and died. This was on Christmas eve. If a person went up to the castle on a Xmas eve you would see a man and a boy lying on the ground floor. The man is seeing crying and his son is by his side dead."

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922134/4855176

Tyone Abbey

This is a view that not many people get of Tyone Abbey as when you pass it on the Thurles Rd it seems like the small remains of a fairly basic ruined church.

Another view that most people don't get is the perilous state of this very important building which is the oldest religious building in Nenagh.

This arch in the main section of the abbey is in a very precarious state.

Other side of the arch

I happened to meet the landowner of the surrounding lands when I visited. He thought that I was from the OPW and wanted to talk to me about vital repairs that are required to make these monuments safe. Unfortunately he told me that the site is stuck in a bit of a bureaucratic limbo with a number of different bodies involved in it and none wanting to tackle the issues here.
It is my own personal view that this arch will not last another winter here if we get storm winds like the last few winters. This arch is a vital structural component of the north wall of the abbey.

On a brighter note here is some information on the site from the onsite information board:

"Was founded about 1200AD, by Theobald Butler, who also founded Nenagh Castle. It was given to the Canons of St. Augustine, they were famous as preachers. It was dedicated to St. John the Baptist, hence the name Tig Eoin (Tyone), the house of John. The Monks, who wore black, were obliged to care for the sick and traveler.
Irishmen were forbidden admission as monks, but this changed with the decline of Norman power. The monastery held a considerable acreage of land and tithes of over a dozen parishes. The now ruinous building would have consisted of a dormitory, refectory, kitchen, sick bay, church and cloister."

I've not seen any reference to what look to me like some architectural fragments installed in this north wall of the abbey. The one marked with the red arrow looks to me like a carving of some kind of animal but I'm not sure.

Edit: I looked again recently and I now have my doubts. 

Another interesting features is this standalone bit of masonry which I understand was part of a staircase at one stage.

And from within the window of this feature.

One piece of interesting folklore I found relating to the abbey relates to a secret passage linking it with Nenagh Castle.

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922136/4855793

"There is a secret passage from the Nenagh Castle to Tyone Abbey, to Lisboney and to Barrach St. Abbeys."

As they say, there is always a secret passage!

Another piece I found in an old Nenagh Guardian article:

Nenagh Guardian - 31-12-1932

"An unusual piece titled "The Fairies of Munster" -"Did you ever hear of a place called Nenagh?" he asked "Yes" said I "I have heard of it" Well "said he "I was born and reared within a few miles of that town" "It is a fine town, I suppose" said I "Well, it is and it isn't" he replied. "It is a great place for fairs, to be sure. In fact, the original name of the town was Aonach, which meant a fair. "At one time there used to be a great fair at a place called Tyone, a mile or so outside the town, every 1st August. In fact that date was known locally as the "1st of Tyone". It was not far from a rath, known as Rathurles, and the fairies from there gave so much trouble at the fairs that they had to change the fair to the town." "Not into the town surely" said I, "there must be a fair green in such an important town". "There is not; then" said he "The cattle are in the very streets and right up against shop windows" I suppose the idea is "said I "that the shopkeepers want to keep the trade at their doors". "By no means" said my friend "but they are afraid if they hold the fair outside the town the fairies might interfere with it, for they are averse to the smoke and dirt of a town. They love the fresh air, and that is the reason there is no fair green in Naenagh". "Well now" said he "it was in this district I was in the fairies and next time we meet I will tell you about my experiences during the seven happy years I spent amongst them" - it is signed off as "Old Boy".


For more detailed information on the history of the abbey, Dermot F. Gleeson wrote about it here http://www.jstor.org/stable/25510135 -

I haven't found a freely accessible version so if anyone knows of one please pass it on to me.    

New discovery at Killowney Little via aerial archaeology

I was doing a little research on a completely different topic (looking at the Kennedy castle at Killowney Big) when I went looking at some of the older aerial photos on
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/.
There on the (year) 2000 aerial photo of the area was a massive crop-mark to the North-west of the castle. I presumed it must have been previously recorded but decided it was worth a look on the Sites & Monuments Record. Amazingly it had never been spotted before. It was probably just because in this particular photo it looks as if some kind of cereal crop had been sown or possibly reseeding had been carried out.
I posted on an archaeology group about it and as luck would have it Colm Moriaty did a bit more research on the Irish Folklore Manuscripts and found some more information on it.
Coincidentally it was me who had originally transcribed the scan but didn't link the two together!

 http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922139/4856034/5012309

"On the eastern side of the Jackson estate Mountpleasant in the field known as Kyle is what is locally known as The Burying Pit. Approaching it from the southern side you enter a small hollow and find yourself facing a large flat rock. A vague tradition exists that Mass was celebrated at this rock at intervals during the penal days. That people were buried in front of this rock and around it is certain as human bones have been unearthed there from time to time.
The place is known as The Burying Pit though when and why it got that name is not known. Tales are told of mysterious lights seen hovering around this place at night time."

So it was known locally as "The Burying Pit". I passed this all on to the local NMS archaeologist and he was delighted to include it on the Sites & Monuments Record. He has classed it as an ecclesiastical enclosure and described it as follows;

"Cropmark of large roughly circular enclosure or natural hollow (approx. diam. 130m N-S; 120m E-W) visible on Digital Globe aerial photographs taken between November 2011 and March 2012. The only upstanding section of the original bank survives at NE where it is incorporated into the present townland boundary. According to the folklore from Ballinree School in the Schools Collection, this field was known locally as the 'Kyle' and the large circular cropmark was known as 'The Burying Pit' (The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0536, Page 243-4). In the centre of the small hollow or enclosure there was a large flat mass rock where mass was held during the penal times. According to local folklore people were buried in front and around this mass rock and in the past human bones have been unearthed around the mass rock and it was reported that mysterious lights are seen hovering around this place at night time. This last piece of folklore may suggest that the hollow area was not used as a 'Mass Pit' during penal times but also as a possible children's burial ground. Possible ecclesiastical enclosure based on its large size and the fieldname of 'Kyle' which was re-used in penal times as a mass pit and possibly as a children's burial ground. Alternatively the site may have been a large ecclesiastical enclosure with burials inside the enclosure dating from the medieval period."

Its the first time finding something purely from aerial photos and from the comfort of my own home. This is something anyone with internet access can do. So if you have an interest in history or archaeology get on to the aerial photos here and try and find something that hasn't been discovered before.

http://www.bing.com/mapspreview
https://www.google.com/maps
http://maps.osi.ie/publicviewer/
http://webgis.archaeology.ie/historicenvironment/

St Martin's Day in Tipperary

It seems this saints day relates to another agricultural milestone, when the wheat seeding would be completed and winter preparations complete (for more info see there). There is some confusion whether the killing of the cock is done on St. Martin's Eve (10th Nov) or St. Martin's Day (11th Nov). Its not a feast day that I ever recall hearing of growing up but I have something in the back of my mind about perhaps a neighbour doing it that I will check out.

Here is some folklore from the Irish Folklore Commission about St. Martin's Day in Tipperary. There seems to be a good geographical spread (and I may have missed a few of them) so it must have been fairly widespread.

From Portroe

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922149/4856473/5011453

"St Martin's day is on the 11th November and the day before it is St Martin's Eve. On this Eve it is the custom to kill a fowl of some kind and to spill its blood behid the door in honour of St. Martin. The blood is spilt while flowing from the wound on the fowl's neck.
It was a custom in Ireland long ago that no wheels should be turning on St. Martin's day. Now that has died out but still on threshing is done.
If a pig or any animal were sick the owner of it would offer it to St Martin and then it was supposed to get better. But it would have to be killed and its blood offered to St Martin on the next 10th November. Some people when the animal is all right, kill it, and use its blood, but in almost every case when this is done the meat would go bad. It was also a custom that the people would make the sign of the cross on the foreheads of the family with the blood."

From Boher near Ballina

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922156/4856756

"On the 11th of November the Irish people keep the feast of St. Martin. They practise various customs on the 10th of November, the Eve of the feast. The following customs are practised in Boher :-
The killing of the Bird.
The people kill a cock or a duck or a goose on St. Martin's Eve. They cut the bird on the head and spill the blood at the threshold of the door and on the four corners of the kitchen floor in honour of St. Martin. Some people kill a pig in honour of St. Martin. I heard Mrs. Bray, Scragg telling a story of a family who lived in Portroe named Creamer. They promised a pig to St. Martin. On St. Martin's Eve they killed the pig. But they thought it a pity to spill the blood. Instead they filled puddings with it. Then they gave nothing to St. Martin and the pig went bad in the barrell.
On St. Martin's Day no mills used to work long ago. The mill-wheel would not turn because it is said St Martin was ground up in a mill.
The old people would never tackle a horse on St. Martin's Day for if they did they believed the horse would not work well any more. About six years ago my father worked a lately trained mare on that day. Grandfather remarked that he should not have done it. She brought one load of manure out of the yard but kicked at the second. We never had any satisfaction with her after that and we had to sell her."

From Ballydrehid

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922278/4866788/5022268

"In St. Martins day a hen was killed at the fire and as the blood was spilled around the kitchen in honour of St. Martin." 

From Killaneave

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922146/4856346/5016371

"Saint Martin's day is on the eleventh November. It is celebrated by killing a young duck or goose or a cock. The blood is spilled on the threshold of the door. People say it is unlucky if this is not done. My Mother always does and my Grandmother before her."

From Dundrum

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922309/4869022/5051620

"On St. Martin's day each year a chicken is killed and the blood is sprinkled around the kitchen in honour of St. Martin. On the 11th of November this feast day occurs. This act is said to prevent sickness for the year."

From Mullinahone

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922236/4863168/5053285

"There is a tradition that it is unlucky to work mills on St. Martin's Day because St. Martin was ground up in a mill.

Most people in this district used to kill a cock on St Martin's Day in former times. The cock was killed at the back door and was brought around the house, the blood being sprinkled on the four corners.

If blood of fowl were not spilled inside door on St. Martin's day people believed that all fowl would die."

Halloween Traditions in Tipperary

Some folklore about Halloween from Toor near Newport in North Tipp.

"People do not practice the old customs nowadays as much as they used long ago.
They got a tub of water and they put an apple floating in it. They all knelt down around the tub with their hands behind their backs. They began to dive for the apple and whoever got it ate it.
They made a wooden cross and they put a lighted candle and an apple on each alternative beam. The cross was put spinning around and each tried to grab the apple in his mouth. Very often the candle was grabbed instead of the apple.
Then the grown-up unmarried girls sat around the fire. One girl took the key of the door in one hand and the spoon of melted lead in the other. When she dropped the lead through the key it made a certain figure -
If it made a ship she would marry a sailor.
If t made a spade she would marry a farmer.
If it made a sword she would marry a soldier.
After this they went out in "cabbage haggard" and pulled the first "head of cabbage" they left a hand on.
If it was a "stout head" she would marry a stout, wealth man and if it was a thin "scraggy head" she wood marry a poor man. Next they went out and they heard somebody calling the future husbands.
They filled a saucer with water another with clay and another with string. Each person was blindfolded and they put their hand on a saucer in turn.
If you touched the clay you would soon die.
If you touched the water you would cross the sea.
If you touched the ring you would be married.
Now the tea was made and the "Barmbrack" was cut. This contained a piece of cloth and a stick and a ring.
Who ever got the ring would marry.
Who ever got the cloth would be a nun.
Who ever got the stick would never marry.

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922161/4857216/5016283

Some folklore about Halloween from Toor near Newport in North Tipp.
"People do not practice the old customs nowadays as much as they used long ago.
They got a tub of water and they put an apple floating in it. They all knelt down around the tub with their hands behind their backs. They began to dive for the apple and whoever got it ate it.
They made a wooden cross and they put a lighted candle and an apple on each alternative beam. The cross was put spinning around and each t...ried to grab the apple in his mouth. Very often the candle was grabbed instead of the apple.
Then the grown-up unmarried girls sat around the fire. One girl took the key of the door in one hand and the spoon of melted lead in the other. When she dropped the lead through the key it made a certain figure -
If it made a ship she would marry a sailor.
If t made a spade she would marry a farmer.
If it made a sword she would marry a soldier.
After this they went out in "cabbage haggard" and pulled the first "head of cabbage" they left a hand on.
If it was a "stout head" she would marry a stout, wealth man and if it was a thin "scraggy head" she wood marry a poor man. Next they went out and they heard somebody calling the future husbands.
They filled a saucer with water another with clay and another with string. Each person was blindfolded and they put their hand on a saucer in turn.
If you touched the clay you would soon die.
If you touched the water you would cross the sea.
If you touched the ring you would be married.
Now the tea was made and the "Barmbrack" was cut. This contained a piece of cloth and a stick and a ring.
Who ever got the ring would marry.
Who ever got the cloth would be a nun.
Who ever got the stick would never marry.

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922161/4857216/5016283

Some more folklore involving Halloween from near Upperchurch.

One such superstition concerns the nuts. Many girls will take two nuts and place them side by side on the kitchen fire there to watch them steadily together eager to learn the secret of their lover fidelity. One of the nuts is called the boy and the other nut a girl. But if the nut, which is called the boy jumps, then her lover is untrue and she had best be on the track... of another before it is too late. Then again if the nut which is called the girl jumps, then his lover is untrue, and he had best be on the track of another before it is too late. But if the two nuts stand steadily together it is said, that the boy and the girl would be married.
Another superstition concerns the ring. On the night before Halloweve people buy a "Barn Breac". The ring which would be in the "Barn Breac" makes most of the fun. First of all the breac, is cut up into slice. Then the slices are served on the plates to the people, at tea time. The person who gets the ring is supposed to be the first of the company to marry.

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922170/4858158


Halloween is celebrated by several games. It is on the thirty first of October. Halloween is a very merry night. The neighbours gather into a certain house that night. They play games such as The three Saucers, the Snap Apple, diving for apples and other games. Some old people put money in a deep basin and the children fight to see who'll get it. After the games the young people sit by the fire and listen to the old people tell stories about the fairies. Young people are generally afraid to go out on Halloween as they say "the Pooka and fairies are out".

http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922146/4856346/5016371

"There be Danes", Maps of the Castletown Arra area

4000 - 2500 BC Neolithic Castletown Arra from Archaeological Excavations at Tullaheady County Tipperary by Rose Cleary & Hillary Kelleher

I have wondered why I have been able to find a relatively large amount of monuments in the Castletown Arra area.

One theory I have is that its relative inaccessibility prevented it from being explored and mapped by the various invaders and colonisers to the area. Really this theory is just an excuse to show off lots of old maps for the area!

This map (above) from Archaeological Excavations at Tullaheady County Tipperary by Rose Cleary & Hillary Kelleher has always fascinated me. It shows the likely water levels during the Neolithic around the Castletown Arra area. From my reading of it, this area would have been a practically a large island, cut off with just one landbridge just south of Tullaheady.

Castletown Arra was a half-cantred or mini Barony during the Anglo-Norman times and the main clan were the O'Briens. There are still the ruins of a number of O'Brien castles in the area.
I'm not going to pretend I'm an expert on this period but some of the old maps I have found of the area are very interesting and suggest that during the various surveys of the area it might be that it was "skimmed" over a bit.

The first historical map I look at is by John Speed in 1610. This is taken from the excellent http://www.swilson.info/index.php

One is of the whole of Ireland

In this the main features you can make out is the likely O'Brien castle at Pallamore marked as Palace (on the above) and you can make out what I assume is Nynag or Nenagh. Also interesting is the note on "The 12 great Hilles of Phelim"

The other is a more detailed map of Munster

This one again shows Palace and this time Caernonogher which I assume is Carrigatoher. Family names are McBryne Arra which I assume are the O'Briens and the three clans of the O'Kennedys - Roe, Done & Fyn or Red, Black & White. This would be the last time these clans would own these lands on the maps.

Between 1656 - 1658 a survey was done to enable redistribution of lands following the Crowellian & Williamite Wars in Ireland known as the "Down Survey"

There is a suggestion in Dermot F Gleeson's book "The Last Lords of Ormond" that the surveyor William Petty did not in fact do a new survey of Ormond (and I presume this would extend to the Castletown Arra area) but in fact used the info from a previous survey and still charged for it!
This map is available online at http://downsurvey.tcd.ie/index.html - unlike a lot of other areas in North Tipp the parish surveys are not available for Castletown Arra which would allow us to drill down further into this map. I'm not sure if this is an error with the site (I have contacted them) or whether they are not available. Many of the maps from this survey were lost during the fire at the Customs House in Dublin during the Irish Civil War. I'm leaning towards the later and that they are no longer available.
In this map you can make out the church and other buildings at Castletown near Castlelough. A church at Youghalarra graveyard and a castle at Pallasmore. There also seems to be a church and some other buildings at Burges, I'm thinking that is the graveyard at Burgesbeg.

This 1695 map shows the main settlement in Castletown Arra switching from Pallasmore to Castletown. Map available here.

This 1838 map shows the rough terrain of the area and also it is the first that I've found to mention the slate quarries.
Also interesting to note are the copper mines at Lackamore near Newport where I believe some of my ancestors worked for a time. The copper mine here might also point to one of the reasons why this area is so rich megalithically, perhaps prehistoric copper mining attracted settlers to this fairly remote place?

Next we see one of the 1840s OS maps - these maps show a lot of detail (particularly when you drill down into them) for the Castletown Arra area and I'd say are the basis of our modern maps of Ireland.

This final map today is one that always raises an exciting question. Who are the "Danes" that are marked in the Castletown Arra area of Rev John Gleeson's map?
I have written before about possible Viking bases on Lough Derg. A recent paper made available by Eamonn Kelly of the National Muesuem shows the form of various Viking settlements around Ireland. It might be of interest to anyone looking for a Viking base on Lough Derg via aerial maps.

Equinox Sunset, Lisheentyrone Stone Pair & Rock Art

Equinox setting-sun at Lisheentyrone stone pair

In March 2014 I visited this stone pair to examine whether it may be potentially be aligned to the Equinox sun-set / sun-rise. Amazingly enough when there I discovered a panel of cup-marks that had previously not been noted before. This was North Tipperary's first confirmed find of rock-art and as such opens up the area as one where more art is likely to be found. To cap off what personally was a great delight it also appears that the standing stone pair are also aligned towards the Equinox sun-set.

Since then I have wondered about whether at Equinox sun-rise, that the standing stones may cast a significant shadow onto the rock-art panel itself. Astronomical alignments are beginning to be understand at rock-art panels around the world so it wouldn't be without precedent.
The weather has not been conductive to checking this year but hopefully over the next few Equinox's it may become apparent.