School: Robinstown (roll number 9039)

Location:
Robinstown, Co. Meath
Teacher:
Teresa Coyne
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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0698, Page 367

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The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0698, Page 367

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  1. XML School: Robinstown
  2. XML Page 367
  3. XML “Bective Fair”

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  1. From early time there were two fairs held in Bective each year. One was on May 16th and another was on November 1st. They were discontinued about twenty years ago.
    On May 16th the farmers hired the boys and girls for the following year. The boys and girls that were for hire would have a peeled sally rod in their hand. Their salary was four pounds a year.
    There were eight or ten tents in it. Boys and girls were dancing in the tents. The fee was a penny a dance. Outside every tent there was a hole made in the ground in which was a large turf fire burned for boiling water for making punch.
    There were large cart loads of apples and oranges and ginger-bread men and sugarstick and Peggie's Leg for sale. There were women selling bundles of rushes for making dip candles for the winter nights.
    There was a toll of about sixpence a head on all cattle sold.
    The police used an old house on the
    (continues on next page)
    Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.
    Language
    English
    Collector
    D. Mac Kenna
    Gender
    Male
    Informant
    James Mac Cormack
    Relation
    Grandparent
    Gender
    Male
    Age
    90
    Address
    Gillstown, Co. Meath