School: Brúgh Ríogh (C.) (roll number 10229)

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1. Travelling Folk

   

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   Travelling people may be divided into two classes, those that travel on foot such as the ordinary tramps and those that travel by vehicle such as hawkers or pedlars.
   The ordinary tramp tries to live by seeking food or money from door to door, from cottiers and farmers in country districts but generally avoids towns or villages as much as possible, fearing the law of the land which forbids begging. Many tramps have special houses in country districts, where they are allowed refuge at night, and can have free meals, but such are familiar to the farmers who befriend them and they make themselves sociable by telling stories to the farmers' children, relating their wandering exploits and detailing the merits and demerits of neighbouring farmers.
   A familiar figure in this connection was a name named "Big Tom" who was over six feet in height reputed to have much money saved and who was kindly received by many local farmers.
   The poorer classes in Éire are generally staunch supporters of the hawker or pedlar who visits them at varying times to sell their wares, such as;- delph, clothes, brushes, pictures, studs, tie pins, safety pins, song books, laces, boot polish, and other small articles useful to persons living some distance from town or village

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. people by social grouping
         1. travellers (~3,023)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Mary Jones

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Bruree, Co. Limerick

   Informant

   Mr M. Jones

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   47

   Address

   Bruree, Co. Limerick