School: Convent of Mercy, Moville (roll number 9278)

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1. Travelling in Moville - 80 Years Ago

   

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   Travelling in Moville - 80 years ago.
   One day more than 80 years ago my old friend, now in Cooley told me that his mother walked to Armagh, carrying him, then two years on her back. I think the distance is seventy-four miles, and she accomplised it in two days, stopping the night in Newtownstewart. In due time, she walked back again. Another old friend tells (us) me that when he was young , he often walked to Derry on market days, starting in the small hours , and driving cattle. Arrived in Derry he transacted business, perhaps bought more cattle and walked back with them to Moville arriving at midnight and so tired that he seemed to walk in his sleep for the last mile or two. It meant forty miles and much business. But so little was a mere forty miles considered that , in the forties of last century the Commandant at Greencastle Fort, when he wanted his pay, in place of using the post, sent his maid servant to Derry to fetch it. She walked forty miles and did her work when she returned. It is worth recording that Greencastle and Shroove made Colraine their market town. It was the custom to use ferries to Macgilligan for every purpose. Both men and women have told me how they used to walk from Shroove , cross over, walk to Colraine thirteen miles carry their goods and return home in the same day. The crossing back was uncertain and there were sheds where people if necessary spent the night. It was a busy ferry there. The postman was a fine walker. At first he walked from

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. people by social grouping
         1. travellers (~3,023)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Kathleen Barr

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Moville, Co. Donegal

   Informant

   Bishop Montgomery

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Bishop

   Address

   Moville, Co. Donegal