School: An Pasáiste Thoir (C.), Port Láirge

Location:
Passage East, Co. Waterford
Teacher:
Clare, Bean Uí Eachthigheirn

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The Butcher

Archival Reference

The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0652, Page 310

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Some years ago a butcher lived in Arundel Square in Waterford City named James Carroll. He was a poor man, so in order to draw custom he used to keep an alarm clock in the room next to the shop.

When a person was passing he would ring the alarm clock and call out, "Did the bishop get his meat yet, he is ringing for it." Then the person who would be passing would think that the bishop was dealing in Carrolls for meat and would think that if Carroll's meat were good enough for the bishop it ought to be good enough for him, so he would deal there. The butcher was very poor and never had a telephone. The people who knew him well, used to say he had only 'God's Killing' in the shop, that meant cows or beasts which perished.

Collector
Brigid Donnelly
Gender
female
Address
Passage East, Co. Waterford
Informant
James Donnelly
Relation
unknown
Gender
male
Language
English