Placenames and Stories from Mount Leinster - Recalled by Jim Byrne, Ballindaggin, Co. Wexford.

Here's a chat I had with this man, 80 year old Jim Byrne of Ballindaggin back in July 2019. This was an unplanned chat as I’d been filming Jim for something else but when he started to point out places and remembering stories, I pressed record. Jim grew close-by and as a result he has loads of unofficial local placenames from the area plus stories that were never recorded in Wexford before. I’ve left the clip unedited, so it’s a bit of a rough diamond. In the 20 minute chat he talks about local placenames for ridges, valleys etc in the hills. Most of these are unofficial names and some of them are examples of the purest native Wexford Gaelic pronunciations that you’ll find. Loads of great stories too, one in particular about the local landlord, Wallace James, a Scottish man who by all accounts, from various sources, was a right bollocks. Not only did he remember (and deliberately forget) some of the stories, Jim recalls stories of Scottish gamekeepers in kilts living in a lodge on the hill and minding mountain cows. There are many other stories about the bold Wallace that I won’t repeat but their is a Scottish link that a linguist friend pointed out. He didn’t know about the Scottish plantation/settlement but he was able to spot some distinctive Scottish influences in some of Jim’s words. In the chat Jim also recalls how people moved up into the hills during the Great Famine and created homesteads where they lived and grew potatoes. The remains of these potatoes ridges can be seen still when walking in the hills to this day. There’s also loads of farming related material too from opening the headlands with a scythe, taking turf off the hill on a dray and how he started ploughing with a one sod plough and a horse at the age of ten. If you have 20 minutes, have a listen and comment away with any of your own insights. I’ve also broken down some of the words and sayings below and as always please LIKE the page if you enjoy these posts as these are being recorded and produced on fresh air and goodwill. Thanks. .......................................................................... Some Local Placenames: Cloroge More and Cloroge Beg - Lovely Pronunciation Stura River and Urrin River - For local people note the pronunciation of the ‘Urrin’ Stooleen - Local name for hill - Lovely Pronunciation The Moates - Name for a pile of rocks The Turf Hut - House on hill build during turf cutting in WW2 The Cairn on Tulawn - Or The Piles - Local Placename The Eagles Nest or The Split - Local Placename Hughes’ Wall - Local Placename Caherue’s Den - Hideout for famous South Leinster highwayman. Goes by different names in different areas. Skylanna - Local Placename (Has been suggested by a friend that it Cill Leanbh - scoill leanbh (A childrens burial ground). Words: A 'Clamp' of turf A 'Dray' or 'Slide' - Used for bringing turf off the mountain. Cruatáns - Hard substance found under the sod of turf. Derived from the Irish word ‘crua’ for hard. Scrá - Irish work for a sod .........................................................................