School: Cloran (roll number 5282)
- Location:
- Cloran and Corcullentry, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: Síle Flynn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0725, Page 0286
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- Hudden and Dudden and Donald O'Neary were near neighbours and ploughed with three bullocks. The two former envying the prosperity of the latter determined to kill his bullock and this they did.
Poor Donald finding his bullock killed skinned it and threw it over his shoulder the fleshy side out. Going along the road a magpie flew on the top of the hide and began picking it, chattering all the time. This bird had been taught to speak and imitate the human voice and Donald thinking he understood it caught it and put it under his great coat. Having reached the town he sold the hide and he then went to an inn to get a dram, and following the landlady into the cellar he gave the bird a squeeze which made it chatter some broken accents that surprised her very much. "What is that I hear" said she to Donald? "I think it is talk and yet I do not understand". "Indeed" said Donald "it is a bird I have that tells me everything and I always carry it with me to know when there is any danger". "Faith" said he, "It says you have better liquor than you are giving me". "That is strange" said she going to another cask(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Caít Ní Mhuineacháin
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Athboy, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Sighle Uasal Ní Fhloinn
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Athboy, Co. Meath
