School: Davidstown (roll number 9682)

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1. Travelling Folk

   

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   Travelling folk who go around now, usually reside in Enniscorthy. They are not, as a rule, very poor, being in receipt of Doles, Old Age Pensions, Army Pensions & c. Generally they sell small articles, but people seldom buy from them for they keep only trash & charge high prices. They generally get supplies in the delph shops, & haberdashery in drapers' stores in the town. They rarely remain overnight except those who bring caravans with them, or "tinkers" who stop in a kiln, a disused quarry or house. They usually get tea, sugar, bread, eggs, milk from the people around. They like money best as alms, but they ask for tea & sugar, eggs, milk, bread, old clothes or footwear, They rarely now take potatoes or meal, saying they are too heavy to carry.
   They usually travel in cars, in bands, several families, all connected. They generally have a drove of asses or horses. In this district the Briens, the Connors & the Cash's are the best known natives. They come generally before fairs, on pattern days or if there is a "big" wedding. They do not tell stories nor do people ask them to. People are usually anxious to get them away as quickly as possible, as they very frequently do mischief. Tinkers sell cans, tea drawers & c.
   Bowes, Ballinvarry used always have a crowd lodging in the barn up to fifteen or sixteen years ago. They plaited potato baskets from sallows for Bowes. A family called Loughlin was the last family to get prolonged lodgings here.
   Of anyone's buying a donkey or horse off a tinker it is said they will "swap" & bargain till the buyer in the long run finds himself

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. people by social grouping
         1. travellers (~3,023)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   M.G. Brennan

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Teacher

   Address

   Curralane, Co. Wexford