Bandon Stories

In this first episode in our Bandon Stories series, the second class students of Presentation Primary School tell us all about what they have learned about the history of Bandon Railway.

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. The Hercules of Crosshaven:"As strong as Philip Oscar Sisk", is a proverb current among the inhabitants between the Bandon River and the Owenabwee in Cork, which shows that after the lapse of more than a hundred years the fame of the great Crosshaven man is still alive.A man was asked. "What was Phil Sisk? and he replied, "He was a giant. That carriage there, was no more than a daisy in a bull's mouth to him. He could do anything that motal man ever did."From the descriptions of Phil Sisk as an old man, it is easy to reason that in his prime he must have been a being of extraordinary size and bodily strength. He was born at Fennell's Bay, Crosshaven towards the close of the eighteenth century, being the youngest of six sons. It happened when he was about fifteen years old there was a hurling match coming off in the neighbourhood and naturally of course all the young Sisks were preparing to witness the contest. It was probally at this period of his life that our hero received his name of "Oscar".Many a night Phil Sisk spent with his comrades in the brakes of Fountainstown, during the Fenian Days. It was little rest they could get while the man-hunter was on the prowl. At length, one night, Oscar was surprised by the press gang. Leaping to his feet he found himself surrounded by a strong party of a man-o'-war's men. He must have fallen asleep to be taken unawers like this. What a prize they thought was in this young Hercules, but he escaped from them.There is one story told of Phil how on a certain day he was watching five or six men endeavouring, in vain, to lift a huge anchor. which was half-buried in mud by the sea shore. "You're a nice lot of boys," said Phil contemptuously descending from the quay, "It that what's the matter with you"? asked Sisk. "There then" and with a mighty heave he flung the anchor back into the soft mud, burying it almost entirely."Now you can go and get it out for yourselves and it will take long enough",and with that he walked away.It is said that in his closing years his sinews were like ropes. There are not many of the old families of Kinalea Fountainstown, that can claim kinship with the Hercules of Crosshaven. Original story can be found at:https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921897/4899388/5183915Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. As part of Creative Bandon’s passion for place making, Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original Dúchas tales used to create the contemporary street art images for Bandon’s Scéal Trail. Based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. Ghost StoriesOnce upon a time a protestant man named Jerry Bird lived a Crossmahon. He did something to altar of the chapel and a big long tail grew on him. A week before he died he was barking like a dog. When he died there was a big black doc seen walking up and down the road every night.Along time ago a man sold his garden. The man that bought it from him fell sick and he asked the gardener to mind it for him. He said he would mind it for him dead and alive. The gardener died and when he died a big black dog used to be seen sitting up on the ditch every night. One night a man was coming from Crossmahon on a saddle horse. He saw the dog on the ditch. The dog jumped off the ditch and followed the man. The man made the horse run and the dog ran. He made the horse walk and the dog walked. After a while he took out his rosary beeds and began to pray. When he began to come near his own gate the dog kicked gravel up in the air and disappeared.One about twelve o-clock to men were going to Bandon fair and they saw a woman washing clothes in a stream. One man said to her in the name of God wasn't it early in the morning she was out. She hit the bittle on the water and wet them all.   Original story can be found at: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921639/4887186/5162674Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. As part of Creative Bandon’s passion for place making, Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original Dúchas tales used to create the contemporary street art images for Bandon’s Scéal Trail. Based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. Pooka Daunt's Ghost: When Pooka Daunt died his ghost used haunt the place around his house and would not allow anyone to cut down trees or anything else. There was a man who also was named Daunt and he went with another man to cut a tree. When they were cutting the tree Pooka's ghost came on top of it but they never saw him till they had the tree cut down and he would not let them take it away. They never took it away afterwards because they were afraid.A Protestant people named Kingstons came from Bandon to live in Pooka Daunts house. They brought two Catholic maids with them. The first night spent in the house the maids could not sleep. About midnight they heard all the laughing on the stairs and a football rolled into the room with fairies and Pooka Daunt following it. They could not sleep at all that night. When morning came they got a bottle of holy water. When the mistress saw it she threw it from the top of the stairs to the pavement below but it was not broken. She then threw it into a deep well but a workman went down on a rope for it. Original story can be found at: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921896/4899338/5182265Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. As part of Creative Bandon’s passion for place making, Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original Dúchas tales used to create the contemporary street art images for Bandon’s Scéal Trail. Based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. Hidden TreasureIt is very interesting to hear stories from old people about some hidden treasure of their time or even of the present.In the district of Templemartin about six miles from Bandon there is a fort. Many stories have been told about treasures in it, but until lately no attempt has been made to recover anything.About two months ago the consent of the owner who was Mr Crowley was got to have it dug and the Government paid men to dig it.After a few weeks labour, some articles were found among them being a brooch, some Spanish moulds, crucibles, traces of lead, and bronze ornaments.All the articles were conveyed to the Museum Dublin.Many stories have been told about the fort by old people. Some say it was inhabited by the druids and others say that it was the meeting place of all fairies.It is the common belief of all people that as there was an entrance into the fort people long ago lived in it.There are so many stories about the fort in olden days the it is hard to know which is the true story.Dorothy GoodGurraneTemplemartinBandonCo. Cork  Original story can be found at: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921649/4887683/5153278Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. As part of Creative Bandon’s passion for place making, Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original Dúchas tales used to create the contemporary street art images for Bandon’s Scéal Trail. Based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. The BleachThe field back of Mr. O Reilly's shop. North Main Street, Bandon was called the "Bleach". This field was used for bleaching clothes. The clothes were brought from the tucking mill, that is where Mr Brennan has his mill at present. A Mr. "WHEELER" was the owner of the Tucking mill. The mill was used for making the clothes and the "Bleach" was used for drying them. The tucking mill was very small.  Original story can be found at: https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921646/4887574/5153138Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf

Scéal Trail – Creative Bandon wanted to highlight the wonderful Dúchas tales from the Bandon area. Scéál tells the story of our cultural heritage in a contemporary way, bringing the best of Irish Street Artists together to create murals inspired by the stories of Bandon from the National Folklore Collection. As part of Creative Bandon’s passion for place making, Zoe Tennyson and Neasa Madden O’Connor mined the National Duchas folklore database for local folk lore about Bandon. Creative Bandon worked with artists GW Joyce and Kevin O’Brien to create these vibrant, contemporary interpretations of these old folk tales, strengthening our unique connection with the town we live in.In 2021 in celebration of Culture Night and with the support and funding of Cork County Council Arts Office they commissioned David Jackson to create a reimaging of these tales and created a storytelling trail highlighting these tales. Join David on a walking tour of Bandon as he weaves a tale based on the original Dúchas tales used to create the contemporary street art images for Bandon’s Scéal Trail. Based on the original folklore tales gathered by Bandon children as part of the folklore collection 1937-1939, re retells the stories with a modern twist.Each of the 7 stops/episodes on a single image and story. Tobar Bhríghde" Brigid's Well " :- On a fence which separates the land owned by Goggins from that owned by Buckleys Corra Bhrighde, Bandon. From places 30 miles distant people came here to have tooth-ache cured, and to do "rounds". While Mr. Sheehan was at work on the roads some yearsago a lady with a foreign accent asked him to directher to “Brigid’s Well”. She was born in Australia of Irishparents and had heard of the well; on visitingthe country she had at her first opportunity set out tofind it.The well at first was raised well above thesurrounding fields – which are boggy – but it has sunkalmost on a level with them. People no longer visit it innumbers but it is still pointed out to those who sufferfrom tooth ache.  Original story can be found at:https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4921645/4887462Map of Scéal Trail can be downloaded from: https://www.bandonhistory.com/_files/ugd/190fcf_7257a182680140f48d7ee6cb65883012.pdf