National Folklore Collection
The story on this page has been taken from the Dúchas web site, page http://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5044796/5039162/5083827and pages following. An image of the original manuscript can be viewed on the Dúchas page as well as more detailed information about the informant and recorder of the story.
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There are many fields, streams, hollows etc, in this district which have names. Some of them are named from their natural characteristics or from important incidents which took place in them. The following is a story common
in this district. Long ago, when the early colonists came into this country, they had a big battle on the land now owned by Mr. Francis McGovern, Tonlagee, Corlough, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan.
The field in which one army pitched their campaign is now called Crocán na zCamps which means '' The little hill of the campus. ''
It is a pretty field with grass much greener than that in the neighbouring fields. Beside it, is the field where the battle was fought. It is a grey field covered with large stones which are said to be monuments to the
men who fell in the battle and are buried under them. it is said that if the field was dug up, the bones of the dead would be found in it. A stream runs by the battle fields, and touches it on the two sides.
The stream is almost choked up by big stones, and there are two stones among them, with old Irish writing on them. This is all the information that is available, about the battle in this district. It is not known exactly,
what tribes had the battle, but it is known that it took place thousands of years ago. The fields are along the main road from Swanlinbar to Ballinamore. There is a townland in this district called Teeboy, '' Tigh Buidhe, '' which means '' yellow house. ''
When Cromwell was in Ireland he gave the townland as pay, to a soldier who had served in his army.
The soldier built a big house and used yellow sand in it construction, and the local people who were Irish, then called the townland, ''Tigh Buidhe '' The townland was previously called,
'Achadh Dhruim-Dheirg '' which meant; '' The field of the red back. '' There is a field in the townland which has a red appearance, and that is the reason the townland was so called. The field is now owned by
Mr. Hugh Smith, Teeboy, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan. Mr. Francis Byrne, Teeboy, Bawnboy owns fields which are called; '' The Móinín Ruadh, '' and ''Achadh Deas '' which mean respectively; '' The little red bog '' and
'' The Pretty Field. '' He owns fields which are called '' The béitín, and ''the '' Cúl Gearr, '' which mean; '' The dry or burnt ground '' and '' The Short Back ''. He also owns fields which are called; '' The Wheat
'' The Little Meadow, ''
'' The House Field, '' '' The Long Moss Field '' and '' The Big Field. ''
Mr Peter McGovern, Knockmore, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, owns a field called, '' The Malaidh Buidhe, '' which means '' The Yellow Brow. '' Mr. Peter McGovern, Teeboy, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, owns a field called '' the Guirtín, which means,
'' The little tillage field ''. Mr. Hugh Smith, Teeboy, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan has a field called '' The Currach '' which means boggy or soft ground. Mr. Pat Devine, Muineal, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, has a field called ' The Crimay '' the meaning
of which is not known. Mr. John Darcy, Teeboy, Bawnboy, Co. Cavan, owns a field in Muineal called '' Paratrairly '' the meaning of which is not known. A field which Mr. Hugh McGovern, Tonlagee, Bawnboy, owns, is called
'' Comhgar an Bhóthair '' which means '' Near the Road. '' The
name suits it, because it is along the main road. Mr. Francis Reilly, Culliagh, Bawnboy, owns a field called, '' The Kiln Park, '' which probably means, a field in which a lime kiln was situated.Mr. Pat Byrne, Teeboy, Bawnboy, has a field
called '' The Bleach Yard, '' because linen was formerly bleached there-it is beside Lough Bunerky.
Collector: Roisin Byrne
Address: Muineal, Co. Cavan
Informant: Mr Michael Byrne
Informant: Mr James Mc Govern
Address: Muineal, Co. Cavan
Thanks to Bernadette McGovern who transcribed this and a great many other pages of the The Schools' Collection, from the National Folklore Collection Archives.
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