School: Bawnboy
- Location:
- Bawnboy, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: T. Ó Grady
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0963, Page 139
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- Once there lived a pair husband and wife named Gilbert and Shiela. They had one son called Fergus, but he never got any name but Fargy. They lived quietly and happy there, for there were no neighbours to give trouble or pleasure. It was a very backward part of Ireland, and the time was far back in heathen days when witchcraft was practised to a great extent.
Gilbert grew oats in his little valley (between two mountains) that nobody claimed. When the crop was ripe Gilbert cut it and put in chives. He had a place paved with flags, closely jointed, and when they wanted meal, he set a sheaf on fine put it on the flagged floor, and commenced to thresh, and Shiela loosed the sheaves, and threw then in and he threshed away, till they had enough done. It was dried and shilled, ready for cleaning, which was done by the wind, that came up the valley. Then it was ground by querns, and cakes and dumplings were made from it. Venison and dumplings, oat-cake and goats milk was their chief diet. They were big and strong. Gilbert was great at taking down a deer with his bow and arrow, but sometimes they would run a(continues on next page)
- Informant
- B. O Grady
- Relation
- Unknown
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Ballyconnell, Co. Cavan
