Abstract: Story collected by Helen Cooney, a student at Carpenterstown (Templefanum) school (Carpenterstown, Co. Westmeath) from informant Patrick Cooney.
Original reference: 0722/2/1
School Carpenterstown (Templefanum) [Vol. 0722, Chapter 0002]
County The Schools' Manuscript Collection : County Westmeath Schools
My Home District [duchas:4979316]
I live in the district of Carpenterstown in the parish and barony of Fore, in the county of Westmeath. The nearest post town is Castlepollard. There are about twelve families living in the townland. There are about fifty eight people living in it. Dobson is the family name most common. There is only one thatched house in the district; the rest are slated and are two storey high. Eight of these are labourers cottages. The old name of Carpentertown was Templefanum. According to local tradition there were carpenters working in the district which accounts for its name being changed to Carpenterstown. It is said these carpenters used to gather together in a field near my home and make furniture for the monks, in Fore. The saw-pit and shaft were there to be seen when my father, Patrick Cooney, was young. There is one old man over seventy in the district his name is Patrick Fagan. He does not know Irish and does not tell stories. Houses were more numerous in the district in former times. There are the the ruins of about ten to be seen at the present time. The people did not emigrate from my district
My Home District [duchas:4979317]
to America. The people died out of them and when no one lived in them they gradually fell into ruin. The town land is not mentioned in any song or saying. The land of the district is good and very productive. There is no wood in the district except some small plantations. There are several small streams running through the district but they are of no great importance. There is only one small lake called Lough Glore bordering on the district. I never heard any story connected with these streams or with the Lake. Written by Helen Cooney, Carpenterstown, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath Told to me by Patrick Cooney Carpenterstown Age 50 yrs Castlepollard
Original reference: 0722/2/1
My Home District
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