School: Landsdowne (Cuar na gCoileach) (roll number 6091)

Location:
Coornagillagh, Co. Kerry
Teacher:
Eibhlín, Bean Uí Shúilleabháin
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0464, Page 280

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0464, Page 280

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    This old revered "Nana" of mine always said it was better to have one mass offered for your soul before death than three afterwards.

    (continued from previous page)
    She was left a widow at the age of 38 & with three boys + two girls all dead except by Father who is in his ninetieth year.
    Her lot was a hard one and my Father her eldest was only 14 years at the time so she had to do a man's work out in the fields with him after school + the girls do the best they could indoors. She worked cutting sea weeds in the strand on the sea-shore during the greater part of Lent + fasted the 40 days on one meal - the dinner + that consisted of "whistlers and sharedeens". No tea or delicacies then 75 or 76 years ago but she never broke that Lenten Fast even when I knew her in 1900 + 1901.
    On a small impoverished farm she educated one of the boys for the Priesthood + sent one of the girls to Loretto Convent Killarney.
    The Adhbhan Sagairt broke her heart for in his last year on his vacation, he said "Mother it would be better to be gathering rags than be a bad Priest. "Why do you say that" says she because I have lost my vocation he said. Her one prayer afterwards was that this boy would never marry + that at least was heard. I wish I could
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Languages
    Irish
    English
    Collector
    Eibhlín Bean Uí Shúilleabháin
    Gender
    Female
    Occupation
    Múinteoir