Carrowmena's Secret History
Taken from The Inish Times 21st November 2002

Local historian Sean Beattie treated Sue Doherty to a guided tour of Tremone and Carrowmena, explaining the local history and folklore behind some of the less well-known places in the area.

The landowners in Tremone and District have agreed to keep access paths open and allow people to visit the different sites of interest, and that says Sean Beattie is very lucky for those wishing to explore the area. "Of course, it's important to remember to close gates after you and be careful how you go, but the local historical society is delighted that all the owners are willing to keep these places accessible to everyone, as it's an important part of our heritage."

We started at Tremone Bay, which comes from the Irish Ba Thra Món. On the part of the beach which is known locally as The White Strand a plaque marks the escape of Thomas D'Arcy McGee to America in 1848. He had been actively involved in planning the 1848 rising and was a member of the 5 man committee of War Council which gave the signal to start the insurrection. After narrowly escaping conviction and having made an unsuccessful trip to Scotland seeking support, he sought refuge in Ballyharry and Kindroyhead. There, he was befriended by Bishop Edward Maginn of Derry, who helped him escape dressed as a priest.

While he was in Ballyharry, McGee also became acquainted with Roger McCann who was a pilot,. Marie and Charles McCann of the Greencastle Museum, are related to him. There was a steady shipping trade between Derry and Philadelphia and it is believed that Roger McCann ferried D'Arcy McGee (still disguised as a priest) out from this small beach, also known as Port a'Bháid (Boat Port), to a ship called the Shamrock. He arrived in Philadelphia in October and then went on to Canada where he became a prominent politician.

As you look from the bay towards Ballymagaraghy, you can see a range of big rocks along the shoreline. "Each of those rocks probably has a name but I don't know them all," Sean admits. However, he does point out "The Fishing Rock" and "Carraig Ceann (the head or the leading rock).

It is worth stopping on "the wooden bridge" (which is no longer made of wood) that leads from Tremone Bay back up towards Carrowmena village. As you stand on the bridge look up away from the sea at what looks like a natural stream. Sean explained that the stream is a mill race and, if you look carefully, you can see that it is man made.

If you go up to the Tremone Bar in Carrowmena (which means the middle quarter), ask to see the old forge stone that was used for making iron hoops for carts. The village also has a post office, shop, pub and community centre, several thatched houses over 200 years old, and a lime-kiln. If you're one of those people who tries to spell things correctly, you may have been flummoxed by the dilemma of whether to spell the name of the village Carrowmena or Carrowmenagh. Even the county council seems to have problems as two signs on either side of the village don't even agree. Relax, Sean explains that when an Irish word ended 'ach' or 'adh' the engineers on the Ordinance Survey usually anglicised this to 'agh' so that the 'a' sound would be pronounced correctly. However, it is perfectly acceptable to simply use 'a' (think Ballymena).

The old Church of Ireland building in nearby Carrowbeg (the little quarter) was known locally as 'The Tin Church."

In Drumaville (Oak Ridge) village there is an early Christain Cross Slab. The field in which it is situated is called Leachtar (graveyard field) and the cross was moved to a stone ditch by a previous landowner. It is said that a man prayed for his son to be cured from a fatal illness and the cross was erected in thanksgiving. It may have been a place of pilgrimage and a burial ground. Ask for directions to the cross-slab when you reach Drumaville.

It is worth taking a detour and following the Drumnagessan road for a short distance. This road links Carrowmena and, when you're actually on the road, it's very easy to see how it got its name, which means Ridge Over the Marshy Ground. Stop at Drumnagessan Bridge, for two reasons. The first is to look around you and use your imagination. This area is said to be hunted by fairies and people say you can hear them on a summer's night. Strange fairy lights are also said to appear at the bridge, especially at Halloween and horses have been known to be frightened to cross the bridge. The second reason to stop here is to do a little bit of excavating. If you face towards Culdaff and scrape away some of the overgrowth from near the bottom of the bridge wall on you left, you can see a 'Crows Foot' engraved into the bridge wall. This is a mark left by the Ordinance Survey team in 1935, to show that the engineers had been here.

Go back to Drumaville, and cross the river into Ballyharry (the town of the stepping stones). When you cross the bridge, try to image what Ballyharry was like before there were any bridges and the river divided the town in half. You can still see the stepping stones at the ford, by which residents crossed from one part of the village to the other. The road also divides the village into two parts, known as "Ballyharry Scotch" and "Ballyharry Irish." This dates from the arrival of Scottish immigrants early in the 18th century. Sean says that although the landowners have changed since and there is no clear divide of people anymore, the traditional names have survived.

Just above the junction with the Shore Road, a flat slab of stone is called Carraig na gCorp (Corpse Rock), recalling days when bodies were carried to the graveyard and this spot was used as a resting place.

To the left, below the cluster of houses, is the site called Kilpatrick, (Patrick's church) where St. Patrick may have founded a church or a monastery. Just above the Corkscrew Bend is a rocky garden overlooking the cliffs. Called na Reiligi (the relics), the plot of land contains an unofficial graveyard where unbaptised babies were buried. A townland nearby is called Orable which means 'tail' in Irish. The name is thought to come from the fact that the shape of the townland curves like a tail.

As you come down 'Corkscrew Bend' back towards Tremone Bay, you pass a number of interesting coves on your left. If you brave the cattle, and follow a small path down from the road, you will see two ports called Fresians and Rosie's. And, if you're lucky enough to have a knowledgeable guide like Sean, you can see The Sailor's Grave. Four stones mark the spot where a local family buried a sailor whose body washed ashore in the 19th century. Less accessible is the cove known as The Church, with its stones resembling a gothic window. The place is also known locally as Haltoras (from the Irish for altar), where Mass was said in Penal times.

As you follow the road past Tremone Bay and over the Wooden Bridge, bear left to one of Ireland's last remaining clochans, Ballygaraghy. The road climbs quite steeply up hill. The old name for this route from Kinnegoe Bay to the Bocan Church in Culdaff is known as is Alturradh, which means the 'route of the funeral'. You can imagine that the funeral cortege could be seen approaching from the Kinnegoe direction by people in the neighbouring villages of Glengad Carrowmena, Tremone, Drumaville and Carrowbeg." Sean explains "They would leave their homes, then, to join the procession when it arrived further down the road."

As you climb the hill, you will also pass Watch House Brae, named after a shed that used to house the coast guard as they watched for smugglers. "This was before the coast guard houses were built, and the workers used to stay at a farmhouse now owned by Joyce and Mervin Norris.

Although there are a few thatched cottages left in Ballymagaraghy, and most of the original cottages have been extended, Sean points out how you can still see the way the buildings were originally set out kitty-korner from each other, rather than in a row, to protect from the wind. He also points out how many of them don't have a back door, for the same reason. The name of the village is thought to mean the town of the Garaghy family, although there is no one who lives there now with that name. Sean suspects that the Garaghys may have been a family of 'erenachs', lay administrators of Church lands nearby. You're not far now from a well-known standing stone, so keep our eye out for it if you decide to continue along the road toward the spectacular Kinnegoe Bay.

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