School: Brooklodge (roll number 5904)

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1. During the Time of the Famine in Ireland

   

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   During the time of the famine in Ireland there lived a man in the town of Midleton whose name was John Foley. He had a large family and had no food for them.
   He went to an other country to get some food and to earn some money he walked until he got work.
   He remained there twelve years and at the end of the time he asked permission to go home and it was granted to him.
   When he was leaving he asked the man whom he was working for, the money that he owed him and the sum of money was eight hundred and ninety six pounds.
   The man asked him would he take the money or three good advices or a loaf of bread. The man said he would take the three good advices and these were never take a bye road while you have a high road, never do anything in the dark that you will be sorry for in the daylight, and never sleep in a house where there is an old man married to a young woman.
   He gave him a handkerchief and he told him that if he were to die of hunger not to open the handkerchief ( there was a loaf of bread tied in the handkerchief ).
   When he got home it was late at night and his wife and children were asleep and when they awoke they did no know him. He opened the handkerchief and took out the load of bread and shared it between them and

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Brigid Murphy

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballinglanna, Co. Cork

   Informant

   Mrs Elizabeth Murphy

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Ballinglanna, Co. Cork