School: Balrath (1) (roll number 9770)
- Location:
- Balrath, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: C. Ní Pharthaláin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0719, Page 291
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- XML School: Balrath (1)
- XML Page 291
- XML “The Native Irishman”
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On this page
- Before I came across the sea to this delightful place,
I thought the native Irish were a funny sort of race,
I thought they bore shillelagh sprigs and thought they always said
"Och-hone, acushla, tare-a-rouns, begorra & bedad".
II
I thought they sported crownless hats with dhudeens in the rim
I thought they wore long trailing coats and knickerbockers trim
I thought they went about the place as tight as they could get
And that they always had a fight with everyone they met.
III
I thought their roses all turned up just like a crooked pin
I thought their mouths six inches wide and always on the grin
I thought their heads were made of stuff as hard as any nails
I half expected that they were possessed by little tails.
IV
But when I came unto the land of which I heard so much
I found that the inhabitants were not entirely such
I thound their features were not all exactly like "baboons"
I found that some were billycocks and some had pantaloons.
V
I found their teeth were just as small as Europeans are
And that their ears, in point of size, were not pecul-iar.(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Patrick Dolan
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Castletown, Co. Westmeath
- Informant
- Kate Fagan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Castletown, Co. Westmeath
