School: Rakeeragil (roll number 11568)

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1. Beaghbarton

   

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   Beaghbarton
   Monaghan 14th March 1937
   Michael Macduinnslebe (M.J.Leavey)aged about 69.
   Master Murray requested me as the old man of the district to dot down in this book some of the old seines[sayings?], and sean sceala that I remembered being told in my young days.
   As I have never come across any written reference or description of The Caily House. I am trying to bring up some of the half forgotten incidents connected with the last Gaelic University.
   The powers that were closed our seats of lerning, closed or confiscated our Churches, put a price on the head of the Priest and Schoolmaster, and often maltreated the unfortunate old Fiddlers and Pipers at the Fairs, as even they were suspected of being envoys of the Pope, but they could not close the Caily House. It remained open to hand down the old traditions of our race our music and our sufferings.
   It has been said by many writers that the famine of 47 killed the old Gaelic Civilisation remaining in the country up till then. Certainly the Famine dealt it a staggering blow, but it was left to a great National Organisation to deal the death blow.
   The Land League under God saved the Gaelic Race from extinction in this land, and killed the old Civilisation, the old love of Tradition. In the Caily House the old Shanacee [seanchaí] lost his honoured place and the reading of Parnells Davit's and Father Shehy's speaches and the working of the local Branch absorbed all attention and the honoured old storyteller of ten years previously was told

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. social activities (~7)
         1. entertainments and recreational activities (~5,933)

   Collector

   Michael J. Macduinnslebe

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   69