School: Druim (roll number 16557)

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1. Local Poet (continued)

   

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   he met in public-houses. One of the best, was one in praise of his own native County Mayo, where according to him, every good thing was to be found.
   One of his worst faults was, his craze for drink, and he was very often found in the public-houses, with his fiddle under his arm, or playing some lively airs on it.
   Although blind Raftery managed to find his way along the road, and into houses when he knew there were hospitable, kindly people. He was never refused shelter and a meal, and, in return for their kindness he would compose poems in which he would praise benefactors.
   When he died, only one hundred years ago, he was buried in Killineen, a village, some miles from Craughwell.

   He was a fluent Irish speaker, and he composed poems in Irish, on an occasion, and it is generally believed that during a visit to a public-house a traveller entered for refreshment and on hearing the music, inquired who was the musician.
   Rafterty, with his face to the wall, overheard the remark, and made a reply without delay,

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. poetry
         1. folk poetry (~9,504)

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Collector

   Tess Rafferty

   Gender

   Female

   Age

   13

   Occupation

   Pupil

   Address

   Larraga, Co. Galway

   Informant

   Pat Ryan

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   75

   Address

   Knockmoyle West, Co. Galway