School: Brownstown, New Ross (roll number 4477)

Location:
Brownstown, Co. Kilkenny
Teacher:
Maitias Ó Domhnaill
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0846, Page 246

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0846, Page 246

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  1. XML School: Brownstown, New Ross
  2. XML Page 246
  3. XML “Freaney the Robber”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    Once there was a poor woman, who had two fat pigs. She had to sell the pigs to pay the rent for her few acres of land. So she went and told Freaney her story. He told her to pay the rent, and he would bring it back to her next day. So the woman went and paid the rent to the landlord. That night Freaney met him and robbed him of the money the poor woman had paid him. Then Freaney returned to her with the money the next day. She was glad to get it because they were bad times.
    Many stories like those are told about Freaney. One he robbed a gentleman as he thought, but finding a thimble in his pocket, he handed him back his money, saying:
    "I'll never rob a tailor if it can,
    For he's but the eighteenth part of a man."
    It was said that Freaney hid a crock of gold alongside his chair and could not find it. When up near Tullogher, he would know where it was, but when he came back he could never find it.
    Once when the police were on his track, he went into a forge and turned the shoes on his horse's hoofs back to front. When the men came
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Phil Harte
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    13
    Address
    Slievecarragh, Co. Kilkenny