School: Séipéal na Carraige (roll number 5478)
- Location:
- Rockchapel, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Donncha Ó Géibheannaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0351, Page 217
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- This was a day that was looked forward to years ago, as the people then hadn't such chance for amusements as now.
After mass on Saint Patricks day, the local band came out and its members paraded the village, and played national airs for a couple of hours.
At 3 oclock the young people went to the cross-roads, where platforms were usually laid, and there they danced and enjoyed themselves until cow-time 7 oclock. The older people generally went for a drink and some came away nice and merry. It was hard to blame them, as the drink that time was so cheap, porter 2 1/2 d a pint and whiskey 2d a glass.
Very often the young people were so anxious for the dancing, that they neglected to go to mass on that day. A story is told of a blind fiddler, who was a bit "tough" about attending mass, when anybody was round, who was anxious to dance to his music. On Saint Patrick's day, the curate, who had heard of the dance starting very early at Guiney's bridge, surprised the dancers, who ran in all directions. The blind fiddler, all unconscious of what had happened, continued on with his playing. The went up to him in a(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Ita O Shea
- Gender
- Female
- Informant
- Daniel Walsh
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Knockahorrea East, Co. Cork
