Groups audience:
Field Names in Your Townland
One field is called ‘Séan’s field’ called after Séan Lodger who traveled on a horse from Croghan to Mayo.
Names of local rivers, lakes and streams in
your townland
Cavetown
Are there any blacksmith’s gates in the fields/farms of your townland? (take photos)
Mulvey’s farm has iron gates made by a blacksmith called Tommy Joe.
What old ruined houses are in your townland? Any stories related to them or the families who lived there previously?
Between Rathlen & Bailmeen is a ruined house which used to be the home of a school teacher.
He had the cure because his names were the same as his father. (Could this have been Beirne's? (http://census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Roscommon/Kilmacumsy/Ratall...)
Is there any old farm machinery in the area or parked in fields? What was it used for?
No
Are there any people in the townland who have a cure? Cure of the burn etc? How do they carry out this cure? How did they get the cure in the first place?
Tommy Ryan had the cure for foot and mouth. He could cure a sore mouth with prayer.
Any locations of historical significance in the townland? Battlefield? Ambush location? Any crossroads where dances took place?
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Any old churches in or near your townland? Old graveyards? How far do they go back? Take photos of headstones.
An old church in Ballinameen village/crossroads.
Where do people in your area get buried?
Caldra (Killappoge) is where people from here get buried.
How many people live in your townland now? How many people lived there in times gone by?
Ratalen people went to many countries, America, England & Australia.
Did people from the townland emigrate? Where did they go to? Why did they leave in the first place?
No jobs, no money.
