School: Tara Hill (roll number 13689)

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1. The Bacach

   

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   The Bacacs were a bad race of men who used go around in the old times. They were lame, the lameness sometimes feigned and sometimes self inflicted to arouse the sympathy of the people. They cast spells on young women.

   Story :-
   In a country district of Ireland long ago there lived a farmer named John O'Moore and his only child Lucy. He was an honest hardworking man and his chief ambition in life was to see his daughter who was very beautiful, wed to some of the well-to-do farmers of the district. Being an only child she was the apple of his eye and as her father could afford to give her nearly all she wished for she was very happy. Many young men came to her father's house hoping she would give them a special place in her affections. She was kind to them all but still her heart remained her own. One day after the local "pattern" there came to O'Moore's house a young handsome "Bacach" in rags. Bacacs were plentiful in those days. They came + went at will for people were afraid to refuse them anything for fear they might bewitch them or their horses or cattle or even themselves. They were supposed to carry about their person bewitching pins which they used to give to any girl they happened to fancy and she would track over the country with them and suffer misery + hardship.

   He remained there for ten or twelve days

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Informant

   Mrs Mooney

   Gender

   Female