School: Baltrasna (roll number 4086)

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1. Poet of County Meath

   

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   Poet of Co Meath

   James Martin was born in Loughcrew Co Meath in the 18th Century. He was the son of poor parents consequently he never received any education because it was harder for poor people to educate their children at that time than at the present. One night when Martin was grown up he dreamt that if he would go to a fort at midnight on a certain night he would get his fortune. Martin dreamt the same thing three nights in succession. But if he went, he would lose some part of his body. Martin went to the fort on the night named and he saw a fiddle, a poem book, and pen and ink, he had his choice of either so he took up the book of poems, when he did so the pen jumped out of the ink bottle and knocked out his eye so from that day forth Martin had only one eye, but he could read and compose poems and his name spread over the County of Meath for his wisdom. Martin died in the 19th Century and was buried at Moylough Count Meath.
   Written by Eithne Kearney Baltrasna Oldcastle Co Meath
   Told to me by Dan Kelly Baltrasna Oldcastle Co Meath

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. genre
      1. poetry
         1. folk poetry (~9,504)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Eithne Kearney

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Baltrasna, Co. Meath

   Informant

   Dan Kelly

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Baltrasna, Co. Meath