School: Rathkenny (roll number 15483)
- Location:
- Rathkenny, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Tomás Mac Cárthaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0714, Page 185
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- (continued from previous page)Johnny put the ugly beast on the stall to fatten him and gave him the best of food. In spite of all the feeding he was as thin as ever and the hair was standing on him. When spring came Johnny put him out on grass again along with the other cattle and during the summer the only change that came in him was that he lost his rough hair. Again he accompanied each drove of cattle to the fair. But of course he could not be sold as he was too thin. And after each fair he made his way home by himself. On some occasions the bullock would go down to the yard where his master's horse would be found, there eating hay out of the same manger as the horse. By this time everyone knew "Johnny Byrne's bullock" and he was the talk of the country.
After trying to fatten him for a few more winters Johnny gave it up as hopeless. On a fair-day Johnny knew whether he would have sale or not that day. When the bullock(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Christopher Hickey
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ladyrath, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Mrs Owens
- Gender
- Female
- Age
- 89
- Address
- Mullagha, Co. Meath
