School: Barradubh (Sixmilebridge)

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1. Otter Hunting (continued)

   

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   takes a short cut across to the stream again. His tracks are plainly visible and it is here the trap is set and must be well nigh invisible. The otter must walk blindly into it. Otters are terribly savage when wounded. On one occasion Patsy Jack trapped one. A younger brother put a basket over the animal but the creature gripped the first Buinne of the basket and tore it asunder.

   When an otter catches a grip with his teeth he holds to it until he hears a bone breaking. The old hunters used to wear leggings inside which were packed cinders. If the otter bit the person he would hear the cinders crush and let go the hold thinking a bone was broken.

   In the present century from about 1905 to 1910 the local river were hunted by packs of otter-hounds brought by visitors to Killarney in huge horse drawn vans.

   Otters kill many salmon during the winter. They catch the fish by the tail. The salmon turns and runs down stream dragging the otter until at last the fish becomes exhausted when he is dragged ashore and eaten. The otter starts to eat the neck and continues back along inside the

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Dómhnall Ua Donnchadha

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Múinteoir