School: Castlecary
- Location:
- Ballyrattan, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Mary S.J. Donaghy
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1117, Page 19
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- XML Page 19
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- I do not know much about hedge schools or hedgeschool masters but I was told stories by old people. In days gone by, the people had no schools. They were taught in a sheltered place behind a ditch by a learned man belonging to the people.
They made their own ink from juice of berries, and they made their pens out of a goose's quill. There were no seats, only a big sod cut square, to sit on, and they had a slate for a jotter.
As days went on they got into some farmhouse and they paid their money a penny a day. When the time came for to plant the seed they had to leave school to get to help their fathers. The house they had, was very small, they had a hole to let out the smoke, and a hole for a door to get in.
An old beggarman named McElroy (now dead) used to come into our school, and tell us how comfortable we were, besides when he was taught. He said he had to sit on a sod all day, and learn from an old man how to read and(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Arthur Peoples
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Castlecary, Co. Donegal
