School: St Columba's, Cloonagh, Granard (roll number 12813)

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1. Taking the Butter

   

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   I heard the following story often, from Mr Philip Reilly an expansive farmer, who loved in this district.
   In his young days he lived in Tullagullion in Co Cavan, bordering Co Longford.
   His father kept 8 milch cows, and they had to churn everyday, and it was an ordinary hand churn that they used.. One May morning, he went out to bring in the cows to be milked, and as he was crossing the field, he found a well made hay rope on the grass.
   Curiosity, made him life the rope, and brig it home, because he wondered, who had access to the field, as there was no path through it, and the rope was made from old meadow hay, a rarity that day of the year.
   When he went home, he threw the rope on a loft in the kitchen, that it might come in useful to tie a young calf if needed, but he never suspected, that there was anything "suspect" about it.
   Breakfast being over, the daily churning commenced, but they were only five minutes churning when the dash got so heavy, that they could not pull it out of the churn. They took off the lid, and they were surprised to find, that more than half the churn was full of butter. They knew it was not right, and his mother would have nothing to do with it, so she sent him at once, barefooted to a Fr Galligan, who was in the parish.
   When the priest heard his story he questioned him

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mr Philip O' Reilly

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Farmer