School: Cullahill (C.), Rathdowwney (roll number 13137)
- Location:
- Cullahill, Co. Laois
- Teacher: Mrs Baird
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0830, Page 247
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- (continued from previous page)August. The swallows come in April and they go away in September. The sea gulls go away in August and return in February.
The sea gulls which come in thousands to our bog, in Raheenleigh, build in the rushes on a bank in boggy land. They make a little round nest of withered rushes, where the eggs, which each female bird lays are laid. She lays four eggs and hatches them for about three weeks. The sea gulls travel round the ploughed fields through out the country, looking for food. They follow the farmer, as he ploughs the field, and you would see numbers of them alighting on the red field, after he has just ploughed it, when it is easy for them to get the worms.
Imagine the dreariness of the country without song birds! We are so used to their songs, we don't notice them, except rarely, when we are alone on a long journey, or in the Winter time. When the city people visit the country, one of the first things they take notice of, is the sweet music of the birds.
There is a traditional story related to how the robin has got a red breast. When Our Lord was dying on the cross, the robin(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Philomena Bergin
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Coolnacrutta, Co. Kilkenny
- Informant
- Mr Lawrence Kenny
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 56
- Occupation
- Farmer
- Address
- Raheenleagh, Co. Laois
