School: Gort Leitreach (roll number 15960)

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   “Sixty or seventy years ago the travelling man was an institution in the countryside.”

   

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   Sixty or seventy years ago the travelling man or woman was an institution in the countryside. Some noted characters were, Carolan (no reference of the poet), Stephen Deery,

   - Neason or (Neeson) , Peter from Cloone (McHugh). Carolan made a hobby of collecting all sorts of useless rubble, and, when leaving a house, generally asked permission to bring out whatever he had brought in. He laid claim to musical talent and always lilted the same tune, which went by the name of Carolan's Ryme. It went something like this, " be leedle, de lang, de, leedle de lang etc.

   Stephen Deery a rather cross old gentleman who often outstayed his welcome and could only be removed by asking him to kill a hen or some other animal. He had a rooted objection to

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   J. Mc Kenna

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Fearnaght, Co. Leitrim