School: Castlemacadam
- Location:
- Caisleán Mhic Ádaim, Co. Chill Mhantáin
- Teacher: Wm. Ffell
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0925, Page 119
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- XML School: Castlemacadam
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- XML “The Cat's War”
- XML “A Family Nickname”
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- At a certain time every year (April-May) the cats disappear for a certain time-sometimes for days and some do not return at all.
The cats travel long distances-sometimes three miles to a certain meeting place to wage a "war". The grandfather of the woman who told this story claimed to have seen one of those wars. He told his son. The son told his daughter who is now a woman about 75 years of age. This woman told it to her grandson who told me.
- Collector
- Essie Toole
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Caisleán Mhic Ádaim, Co. Chill Mhantáin
- A man named Byrne was orphaned when very young, and was working for a Mr Johnson of Millmount, Avoca. Mr Johnson had a threshing-barn where flails were used. When the workmen left the barn this boy - Byrne - used to go in and thresh - or try to. One day Mr Johnson saw him and said "You are a great little thresher." The name stuck. He became the "Thresher Byrne". His grandaughter and her brothers are Thresher Byrnes and so are the children. His grandaughter - a woman of about 60 years told me this.
