Lough BealsraghThis page is devoted to the beauty of our area. There are many photographs of local landmarks, so it may take a little while longer to download onto your screen, so please be patient!
Lough Belshragh
I
Starlet fallen from the midnight waste
To nestle in the bosom of the boglands deep
Who knows the measure of your grace
Or the secrets that yur weeping wavelets keep.
II
The slanders that folk tell at night o’er yonder
Mention strange specters that abide with you,
And sometimes cause me fitfully to ponder,
Is life a trance or is it really true?
III
One noon I heard the rustling of your slumbers
What troubled you dark lonely sloe-eyed friend
Was it the voice of him alone who numbers
The night and days when you and all must end.
By Edmond Mahony.
Lough Bealsragh
LOUGH BELSRAGH
Lough Belsragh is a lonely moorland lake situated in the Sliavh Aughty hills about 2 miles south of our school. It can be accessed through Gortnanagh, Sonagh or by going up the bog road. There are many stories about this beautiful enchanted lake. The old people believed that it changed from one place to another. Another story recalls that the Persse family prevented the parish priest from fishing in the lake and that he said that no fish would be found in the lake ever again.
Everybody has heard of the Lough Ness monster but what about the Lough Bealsragh monster? Some of the old people clamed to have seen him and it is supposed to have capsized a boat belonging to the Persse family. The lake is very beautful in all seasons.
SLIABH AUGHTY
The Sliabh Aughty hills contain vast tracks of some of the most desolate landscapes in Ireland. The mountains are often referred to by their Gaelic name, Sliabh Echtge. The Lady Echtge, granddaughter to Finde, one of the Tuatha de Danann gave her name to the hills. She married Fergus Mac Ruiri who held these hills and mountains by his right of cupbearer to the king of Connaught. He bestowed the mountain valleys to Echtge to feed the cows, which she brought with her as her dowry. Two of these cows, which had been previously remarkable for their fruitfulness and great flow of milk were placed on each side of a river, which has been called "Abhainn Da Loilgheach" – river of the two milch cows.
Maclonal who died in 892 ad. sang the praises of the Aughty Mt. In a long poem beginning, "Delightful delightful lofty Aughty". He mentions hills, valleys, forts, rivers, lakes, and woods etc. Fionn Macumhaill hunted on the Slive Aughty. Today many of the families who once lived on the mountain are forgotten.
Nature in Kilchreest.
The nature is beautiful now. The birds are singing in the morning. The hedgehog and the bat are out of hibernation. The squirrel is busy raising her young here. The lambs and calves are playing in the fields. The fox cubs are born now. The mother birds are laying eggs. We should be seeing our first swallows soon. Some wild flowers are out such as cowslips, primroses, bluebells and many more flowers. You can see the buds on the trees. We will be listening out for the cuckoo. There are two butterflies that we see in Kilchreest. They are the large white and the red admiral. You will also see the red ladybirds on stems of plants in our area.
By LOUISE F. and HEATHER H.
The Pump at Isserkelly.
The Wild Swans of Coole.
The trees are in their autumn beauty.
The woodland paths are dry.
Under the October twilight the water
Mirror a still sky.
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine and fifty swans.
2
The nineteenth autumn has come upon me.
Since I first made my count.
I saw before I had well finished
All suddenly mount.
And scattered wheeling in great broken rings.
Upon their clamorous wings.
3
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures.
And now my heart is sore
All’s changed since I hearing at twilight
The first time on this shore
The bell beat high on their wings above my head
Trod with a lighter thread.
W. B. Yeats
The cemetery at Iserkelly
Iserkelly Castle
Our local river is called the Roxboro River it rises the Sliabh Aughty Mts. Its mouth is near Kinvara. After it leaves our parish it goes underground for some time. Trout and eels are found in the river and otters make their homes on its banks. In recent years mink have been found near the river. There are some interesting bridges on the river the seven-eye bridge at Kilaspick is very narrow. Just inside the Roxboro gate you will find a bridge with an inscription built by William Perrse in 1783. Long ago the Rolland family had a water mill on the river where wheat was ground into flour. Tom Rolland was the last miller and he was my great grandfather. In the last century the Perrse family also had a water mill. A number of small streams flow into together it is mentioned by Lady Gregory in her writings. In recent years the river has caused flooding problems.
There were many trades practised in our parish in the past, many of which have died out. We know that at the turn of the last century there were as many weavers as houses in Kilchreest. Many people had a spinning wheel and spun their own wool also. Cahill was a master blacksmith in Ballyshea. Cunningham was a blacksmith in Kilchreest and people came from near and far to Tannians forge in Gregg. There was also a flag at the forge and this was used for dancing.
Brian.
Bearna Trí Rí
Floods
My County; Galway.
Capital: Galway city.
Flag: maroon and white.
Population: 180,000 approximately.
Religion: Catholic, Church of Ireland.
Languages: English, Irish.
Economy: Agriculture, Industry, Tourism, Fishing.
Industry: Computer Software, Shoes, Glassmedical equipment.
Imports: Oil, coal, machinery, tea, coffee, fruits and cars.
Exports: Hides, glass, shoes, beef, lamb, animals and medicines.
Crops: Oats, barley, potatoes, mushrooms, carrots and cabbage.
Animals: Sheep, dairy cows, beef, cattle, horses, poultry and dogs.
Rivers: Corrib, Suck, Clare and the Shannon.
Mountains: Sliabh Aughty, Twelve pins and Mamturk.
Bays: Galway bay, Killary harbour, Kinvara bay and Kilkrean bay.
Lakes: L. Corrib, L. Derg, Loughrea Lake and L. Inagh.
Islands: Aran Islands, Inishbofin and Gorumna.
Sport: Hurling, Gaelic, football, Camogie and rugby.
Customs: Fox hunting, Traditional music and wakes.
Famous people: Lady Gregory, Liam Mellows, Walter Maccon and Joe Cooley.
Famous places: Spanish Arch, Coole park and Eyre square.
Neighbours: Mayo, Roscommon, Offaly, Tipperary and Clare
Problems: Traffic, wet weather and High mountains.
By Ciaran S.
Autumn in Kilchreest
Autumn.
Mist on the hillside,
Clouds grey and white,
Autumn good morning
Summer good night
Leaves on the ground
None on the trees
Yellow, green and gold leaves
Autumn good morning
Summer good night.
Fairs In Kilchreest Long Ago
"Twelve O’ Clock at the fair of Kilchreest and not a blow struck" how often have we heard the saying. They may not have been as violent as the saying suggests. We know for certain that great fairs were held in the last century there. Raftery attended there at fairs playing on the fiddle. Faction fights often took place on the fair days.
In later times the fair was transferred to Isserkelly, where the fair green was on the Roxboro estate. The drover with team of cattle was a familiar sight on the roads. After the arrival of the railway most big fairs were held in towns where cattle could easily be driven to a railway station for transport.
Castleboy tower (left) and Cloughan Castle
E-mail us at kilchreest.ias@tinet.ie