School: Gortnacart (roll number 15554)

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1. The Kid Goat

   

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   Long ago there was a man named Boyle born in Loughrous Point some three miles from Ardara. He spent his young days and his manhood in Glencolmcille as some of his ancestors came from there. Now when old age began to approach for some reason unknown he expressed a wish to be buried in the parish of Ardara. He even during life time made his friends promise that they would grant him this privilege when he would die. This they very nearly did.
   The storyteller tells us that this was before the people could make coffins, and consequently the task was going to be a difficult one. However when the man died they bound his remains in home made blankets and cut two hard - spikes from bushes, and which were useful for bearing the corpse on. They set out on foot as carts cars and all other means of conveyance were unknown. Six of the strongest men were chosen for the work and when the first two got tired they were relieved by a second pair and so on until the journey was completed a distance of about thirty miles. On the journey which took two days and two nights they got lodging first in a house where there was no person living except an old man. This old man waked the corpse alone, while four of the men slept, and the remaining two set off to see about lodging for

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Annie Shovlin

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   86

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Doochill North, Co. Donegal