School: Rashina, Athlone
- Location:
- Rashinagh, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: S. Ó Cinnéide
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0810, Page 238
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- XML “Beggars”
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- Beggars used to be received in certain homes in country districts with hospitality. Each beggar had his or her own house where he or she used to stay whenever they came to the townland. In backward country places there is a great longing for news. The beggar supplied the news of the parish and neighbouring parishes and on this account his visits were eagerly looked forward to. It was made the occasion for a general gathering of the rambles of the district, when the beggar came to stay for the night. Sometimes too, the beggar whiled away the time in song to the delight of the youngsters. They were given a bed or made confortable by the kitchen fire. They were able to tell of all weddings, funerals, christenings, give accounts of how people were getting on, and even make shrewd guesses as to what marriages were likely to come off in the near future. Sometimes they sold religious objects which were piously bought by the peasantry.
- Informant
- Mrs Maria Kennedy
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Cloncraff or Bloomhill, Co. Offaly
