Folklore Thursday: The Bealnadeega Ghost

As part of "The Kerry Chronicles" there will be "Folklore Friday" posts featuring stories found in The School Collection. The "Folklore Thursday" posts will be primarily about text from the collections that mention Moynihans or Ó’Muineacháins or stories about places or other events in Kilcummin parish in Co. Kerry. 

This week's "Folklore Thursday" story is about "The Bealnadeega Ghost" who was reported to have killed two men, one of them being Malachy Moynihan of "The Bower", Kerry.

Excerpt:

"It is said that in olden times 

there lived in Bealnadeega a Fairy 

and when the people were going from Killarney to Cork 

in cars conveying goods 

they used to meet her on the road. 

When two men used travel together 

she would never attack them, 

but used to always attack a lone man." 

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 008
Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

Excerpt:
"I do not know the tale about the other man 

but he was Malachy Moynihan from the "Bower". 

It was said that one night 

the Parish Priest of Rathmore 

put her on flames in the sky."

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 009
Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

Where Is Bealnadeega?

Bealnadeega is at Headford, west of Rathmore on the road taken from Cork to Killarney.

 

Source: WeGo Map

There is a long history of "spirits" in Bealnadeega dating back to 1800. The "Bealnadeega Spirit" was finally banished according to one story told by Mrs. Julia O'Connor to her daughter Hannah O'Connor (Lisheen)

Source: The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 270   © National Folklore Collection, UCD.

Malachy Moynihan from the "Bower"

The story talks about a Malachy Moynihan from the Bower. 

I located Gurtanahanebuey "The Bower" in an entry in "The Tithe Applotment Books, 1823-37" 

In the "Bower" Tithe Applotment Books, there are many Mahoneys and Collins and 

a Humphrey Moynahan was also found

Screenshot of National Archives: Tithe Applotment Books 1823-37

Gurtanahanebuey (Gort an Átháin Bhuí Thiar) Gortanahaneboy West is located west of Rathmore on the road to Killarney. It is in the parish of Kilcummin.

Source: Google Maps

 
Do We Know Anything About Malachy Moynihan?

We do not have any Malachy Moynihan's in our family tree, but this unusual name has popped up now and then. (I will continue to add Malachy Moynihan to this page - if you know of a Malachy, please leave details in the comment section below)

Other references to "Malachy Moynihan" in The School Collection include: 

• "Cultaman Cronin was landlord of Screathan an Mhill and Mín na g-Ciseach. He died in the Union. Before his death Lord Kenmare bought all his land at a " ceaint " in Tralee bidding against an Englishman who wanted it for grazing purposes. Canon Walsh got Lord Kenmare to do this. There were bonfires that night. Lord Kenmare bought out Malachy Moynihan's interest also". Reference: The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0451, Page 233  Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD 
• "Raithín (small fort) sometimes misspelt Raheen. Area :- 500 acres, 2 roods, 30 perches.
  Fulacth fiadhaidh (burnt stones) in Malachy Moynihan's (10 feet in circumference - called a fort) and in Michael Moynihans (small heaps in field.)
  In Malachy Moynihan's there was once an old mill at Inis An tSean Mhuillin and there is on the Abha Na Sceartan two river holes poll na bo and poll an tairbh.
  Lord Ienmare was landlord of Ráth Bheag and Raithin, Daniel O Connell and Moynihan having a middle interest. Reference: Tagairt Chartlainne  Bailiúchán na Scol, Imleabhar 0451, Leathanach 112  Íomhá agus sonraí © Cnuasach Bhéaloideas Éireann, UCD.

Malachy Moynihan Genealogy 

• Padraig Doyle reported in 2011: "My Name is Padraig Doyle.I live in Kildare, Ireland I am researching my family history (in Wicklow, Kerry,  Dublin) My Mother is a Moynihan aged ~90 (born 1921;  her father was from Bonane in Kerry. My great grandmother was Hanoria Moynihan born 1841 as Hanoria Murphy in Cul na Cuppogue, Bonane, Kenmare, Co Kerry. Her father was Jeremiah Murphy a farmer and hedge school teachers and she married a Michael Moynihan from Beheenagh, Rathmore, Co Kerry. She died 16th January 1934 and is buried in Kenmare, her husband who died in 16 Nov 1886 is buried in Beheenagh. His father was a Malachy Moynihan and they may have had a farm and a pub near Loo Bridge, which I believe was a station on the railway line. I have a lot more information available if there's any connection or a possibility. I'd Love to hear of any?"
• Malachy Moynihan Will (Kerry) dated 8 Nov. 1892 (Beneficiary Johanna Moynahan) http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/details.jsp?id=1639494645
• Malachy Moynihan (age 30) marriage; 24 Feb 1870; Rathmore, County Kerry, Ireland; Father's name Malachy; Spouse's name Johanna Callaghan Mahoney (born 1840; father's name Jerry Callaghan) Record Collection: Ireland Civil Registration, 1845-1913

Malachy Moynihan in burial records:

• New Cemetery, Killarney: Rockfield Killarney; Date of Burial: 10/01/1949
• New Cemetery, Killarney: Rockfield Tralee Rd; Date of Burial: 25/06/1991
• Rathmore Cemetery 
• Freemount Cemetery
• Nohoval Cemetery

About "The School Collection"

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

Collecting Stories:
The Photographic Collection, M010.18.00108
Image and data © National Folklore Collection, UCD

 Approximately 740,000 pages (288,000 pages in the pupils’ original exercise books; 451,000 pages in bound volumes) of folklore and local tradition were compiled by pupils from 5,000 primary schools in the Irish Free State between 1937 and 1939.

I am forever grateful for the National Folklore Collection (NFC) for collecting, preserving and disseminating the oral tradition of Ireland.(and these informants CLICK HERE)