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School: An Clochar, Port Omna

Location:
Portumna, Co. Galway
Teacher:
An tSr. M. Lorcáin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0057, Page 0455

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0057, Page 0455

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  1. XML School: An Clochar, Port Omna
  2. XML Page 0455
  3. XML “Travelling Folk”

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  1. Travelling Folk

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    In former times our district was very frequently visited by "travelling folk" who exchanged small tables, flowers, tin cans, and wicker chairs, for money, old clothes, and food. About thirty five years ago a tribe called McCarthys came to Portumna. They made and mended kitchen utensils. These were a very old fashioned tribe and when one of them died the others all "caoined" at his funeral. They were hired specially for this when an important person died. Their manner of marrying was by getting into a forge and the girl then left a bundle on the ground and both jumped over it. They believed this tied them together.
    Another travellor called "Gorky" used to make flower hangers, toasting forks, and iron stands from copper wire, also a very tiny man called "Patsy Dates" who used to clean all the chimneys in
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    History Edit
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. people by social grouping
        1. travellers (~3,023)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Ita Keighrey
    Gender
    Female
    Address
    Portumna, Co. Galway
    Informant
    Glynn
    Gender
    Female
    Occupation
    Nurse
    Address
    Portumna, Co. Galway