School: Killmallock Convent School

Location:
Kilmallock, Co. Limerick
Teacher:
An tSr. Dimpna
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0528, Page 288

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0528, Page 288

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  1. XML School: Killmallock Convent School
  2. XML Page 288
  3. XML “The Mowers and the Weasels”

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  1. The Hourigans from Knocklong were mowers. and during the hay-season they went about from farm to farm "cutting on hire". One fine Summer's day about 20 years ago they were cutting a field of hay in this neighbourhood and, as was their custom, they had with them a can of milk from which to refresh themselves now and again. At mid-day, they went to the farm-house for their dinner and left a boy to mind the horses in the hay-field. While they were mowing they had come across a weasel's nest and had removed it to the ditch. Now, as the boy was minding the horses he saw the two parent weasels running into the field. They ran to the place where the nest was, and on not finding it, they flew into a rage. They ran to the can of milk and spat into it so as to poison the men who, as they thought had destroyed their young ones. At length they found the nest in the ditch and then so that the mowers would not drink the poisoned milk they ran to the can and spilt all the milk.
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Topics
    1. activities
      1. economic activities
        1. agriculture (~2,659)
    2. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
    Language
    English
    Informant
    Richard Mc Grath
    Gender
    Male
    Address
    Bosnetstown, Co. Limerick