School: Drumdigus (C.), Kilmurry McMahon (roll number 13479)

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1. Beggars

   

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   Long ago a roving band of the tinker fraternity visited Kilmurry McMahon. They came from the Co Tipperary and their names were Cathys and Caseys. They always travelled, worked, and ate together. They often fought too, and the people were not a little afraid of them, for their may young and able people were a terror to the locality.
   They were received by the people with suspicion. They always had a large number of asses and were always engaged in the barter of same. They had three or four donkey carts for carrying their wares and the young children of this nomadic band.
   The men made tin buckets, cans, basins, saucepans, hall gallon measures and other articles. The women undertook the sale of the manufactured articles by going from house to house in the district, where they were disposed of, and at the same time soliciting alms in every house. The alms asked for were potatoes, eggs, new milk, butter, bacon, tea and sugar, and there was scarcely a household that did not contribute some of these alms. The prayers of the recipients were very edifying and in contrast to their conduct on other occasions. They would say "God Bless you mam and leave you long over your children" and "The Lord have mercy on the souls that left you."
   They always camped in sheltered spots when visiting Kilmurry. A bye road leading to the shore at Kilmurry, and the Quay at Clonderlaw bridge were their favourite camping ground. Men and women used to drink and were always quarrelsome when too

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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)

   Collector

   Anna Mc Namara

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Derrynalecka, Co. Clare

   Informant

   Michael Mc Namara

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   68

   Address

   Derrynalecka, Co. Clare