School: Ballyheerin (roll number 16279)

Location:
Ballyheerin, Co. Donegal
Teacher:
Aodh Ó Frighil
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1090, Page 189

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1090, Page 189

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  3. XML “Beggars”

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  1. (continued from previous page)
    by origin and his name is believed to have been Peter Sheridan. When he was a boy he lived in a small house with his mother. All his boyhood he spent working hard and at the age of sixteen he started smoking. When his mother found this out she rebuked him severely. At this Peter took great offence and departed from mother and home. Begging then became his position in life and he destinguished himself from all other beggars by wearing a creel on his back. 'Twas this creel, however, that won his three titles which he was known all over by, viz., "Peter the Creel", "Orange Peter" and Peter the Orange". The last two nick-names he derived by carring oranges (which he sold at the reasonable price of pence apiece) in his creel.
    There was some special house in the locality in which he lodged. His "shake-down" he made in the corner. He did not go to bed till very late and, of course, did not rise until half dinnertime.
    If the menfolk chanced to be away from the home, Peter acted himself on the women and children who were very much afraid of him. As would be expected, his lodgings in every house lasted but a short time.
    He was not a man of lofty stature but
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. agents (~1)
      1. people by social grouping
        1. travellers (~3,023)
    Language
    English
    Collector
    Aodh Ó Frighil
    Gender
    Male
    Occupation
    Múinteoir