School: Inis Sionnach (Haulbowline) (roll number 3195)
- Location:
- Haulbowline Island, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Gearóid Ó Hiarfhlatha
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0386, Page 249
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- Travelling folk still call at our homes, but not very often. They sell little tables, and statues, and other small articles, to make money.
They have been calling to houses for years.
Long ago they used to go round in caravans and they used to park in the lanes and fields.
They used not stay in the peoples houses, but they used to get food from them. They used to come alot in the summer, and park in the fields.
The men used to make little tables and fire screens, and pots and the women used to sell them.
The women used to go to the houses and ask the lady of each house if she wanted her fortune told and if she did, the lady would cross the fortune tellers palm with silver, and then she would have her fortune told. Long ago the travelling folk going round were marvellous for mending. If you broke a dish cover and gave it to one of them, to mend, he would take it to his van and would melt it, then he would put two holes in it, and stick it with wire, and he would bring it back to you as new as ever.
Then he would ask for whatever he charged you the day before.
That was how the men made their living.
The women used go round asking for food and(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Doreen Sexton
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Haulbowline Island, Co. Cork
- Informant
- Mr J. Sexton
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Haulbowline Island, Co. Cork
