Beaghmore Folklore

The National Folklore Collection

The National Folklore Collection is a collection of folklore compiled by schoolchildren in Ireland in the 1930s.

Beaghmore features in at least 15 entries of the School’s Collection.

There are a number of entries that relate to the landlords of the time, namely the fFrench’s and the St George family, as well as their residence of fFrench’s Castle, also known as Fahy’s Castle.  One of these entries, Landlords, gives details on land acquisition through marriage, while two others, A Story about Emone Mór and The Old Castle, recount tales of a more supernatural nature. There is also an entry, Daoine Cáiliúla, about Thomas Murphy at Fahy’s Castle who was able to cut eighty bearts of oats in the day.

Landlords The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0270

A Story about Emone Mór – A Man in a Coffin The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0503

The Old Castle – Near Fahy’s, Beaghmore – Three Men and a Coffin The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0504

Daoine Cáiliúla The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0557

One entry details roads and mass paths that went through Beaghmore, while another mentions schools that children in Beaghmore attended in Tobberoe and Shrule.

Roads The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0429

Old Schools The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0428

Willie Curran is mentioned in an entry about trades, saying that he made griddles ‘Grussles’ – a ‘vessel for feeding cats’ – spades and spears.

Old Trades The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0431

Beaghmore also features a number of times in the large entry ‘The Parish of Donaghpatrick’, with mention that ‘St George was landlord of Beaghmore estate bought it from the Frenches’, that the ‘Beaghmore Landlords. St George of Tyrone and Mrs Brown. Land sold to Land Commission 1928 and divided among tenants’ and that there was ‘an avenue leading by Burkes to the castle at Fahy’s. This castle was owned and inhabited by the Frenches.’

The Parish of Donaghpatrick The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0453

The Parish of Donaghpatrick The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0452

The Parish of Donaghpatrick The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0022, Page 0445

 

Please note:  The historical site listed here is on private property and should not be accessed or entered without prior permission from the landowner.