School: Ballinvally (C.) (roll number 932)
- Location:
- Ballinvally, Co. Westmeath
- Teacher: S. Nic Shiomóin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0724, Page 069
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- XML School: Ballinvally (C.)
- XML Page 069
- XML “Travelling Folk”
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- Travelling Folk
Many of these people still visit our home. Some of them are very poor. They usually sell articles such as thred, candles, pictures, laces, needles, ornaments, clips and various other things. If there is a shortage of things people often buy from them. They buy their supplies in wayside shops. There are generally welcome in most of houses. Some of them only remain for one night and others for a week. They sleep mostly in tents and in sheds on the farm house. Most of them do not have food with them because they obtain it in the neighbouring houses. They obtain alms such as potatoes, milk, bread, tea, bacon, and other things. Most of these people travel on vans or walk. Most of the old travelling folk travel singly and others in bands. The best known of them are the following Mr Jack Lenihan, Mrs Gavin, The Dummy, Mr Harry Hichy and Jack Doyle. These do not visit us at any certain times.
Most of them come on fair days. Not many of them tell stories but they bring a lot of news from other places. A lot of people gather around to hear the news from other towns.
- Collector
- Philomena Dargan
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Delvin, Co. Westmeath
