School: Maio (roll number 13119)
- Location:
- Trohanny, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Máire Ní Chreaig
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0706, Page 488
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- Long ago, the people around here were more numerous than what they are now. All of them could not get enough work at home, so they went to places for some time where they could get work. Some of them went to Scotland, or to the County Dublin.They went in Spring and Autumn. In Spring, they planted the potatoes and sowed the corn, and then they went home. When Autumn came they went again. They dug the potatoes and reaped the corn. At night, they slept in barns. One of the work-men was selected to prepare the food.Sometimes they went to Scotland to make ammunition. They worked in little tents. Each tent was a good distance away from the other, lest there might be an explosion. Many people lost their lives in making ammunition, but, all the same they went to earn some money. They had to work very hard to earn anything. Some people go to the harvest yet.
Brigid McCormack
Most of the labouring men of this district go up to Dublin to work. They go up in the hay season to cut and cock the hay. Some of them stay up there for the digging of the potatoes and the cutting of the oats.. They get work with some big farmers. Some sow nothing but wheat, so a lot of men are employed with them. They go on bicyles and sleep in sheds. They are paid at the rate of five or six shillings a day. Long ago they walked up and back again.
Laurence O'Connor
- Collector
- Laurence O' Connor
- Gender
- Male
