School: Coill-Chéim (roll number 9044)
- Location:
- Calhame, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Seán Mac Cuinneagáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1038, Page 39
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- How Paddy tricked the Gauger.Paddy Maloney lived near Ardara in the town of Brackey. Paddy made his living by making and selling Poteen. It was on the 12th of July when Paddy was herding cattle by the roadside that he saw the Ardara Police coming towards him. They told Paddy that they were going to Dunkineely to stop the Orange-men from travelling the town. Paddy told his wife Nancy that it would be a fine chance to get a keg of Poteen sold in the town of Ardara. He put the keg in a bag and started for the town. He had not gone far when he met the gauger coming riding on a white horse. He could not easily get off the road and he was wondering what plan he would pursue to deceive the other.
The latter pulled up as they met and asked him where he was going and what he had in the bag. "Your honour" said Paddy craftily, "it's a drop of good stuff, I am taking it to the gauger in Ardara". "It is more of your kindness than I expected" said the gauger. "I am the gauger" he continued. "Your honour" said Paddy, "I thought it was some other gentleman".
The gauger then told Paddy he was going to Killybegs and he would not be back until late in the evening. He took (the) a key from his pocket and a pound note too and handed them both to Paddy [and] told him to open the Office door at the back of the house, and he would find two kegs, an empty one and a full one and he(continues on next page)
- Informant
- P. Mc Closkey
