School: Naomh Eoin, Cill Choinnigh (roll number 1301)
- Location:
- Kilkenny, Co. Kilkenny
- Teacher: Bráthair Tomás Mac Binéid
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0856, Page 105
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- This story was also told by Stephen Dwyer who says that the incidents recorded are founded on fact and happened in 1904 or 1905. He himself was witness.Funny Story
"Johnny Fontenoy."
Not so many years ago when street ballad singers were numerous in Kilkenny, as elsewhere, a very popular and frequent visitor to our City, was a small bearded man, called "Fontenoy." He was called thus because one of his favourite recitations was that in which a vivid account of the historic battle in which the Irish Brigade defeated the British is told.
"Johnny Fontenoy" as our visitor was called, drew crowds about him as he went through the various phases of the battle carrying a blackthorn stick to serve as a gun. It was not an unusual thing to see five hundred people gathered around Johnny at the Parade, and nobody enjoyed him more than the children. When he charged the imaginary enemy down the Castle road, with King Louis of France, who was represented by Johnnys wife who occasionally accompanied him, he was followed by a cheering crowd of youngsters and a battalion of dogs to add to the din of the battle of Fontenoy.
Those were the days when there was real humour in Irish life, but combined with with humour was an awakening in the deeds of bravery of those like the "wild geese" of old that were obliged(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Stephen Dwyer
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 40
- Occupation
- Journalist
- Address
- Greenridge, Co. Kilkenny
