School: Behey (roll number 8222)
- Location:
- Behy, Co. Donegal
- Teacher: Meadhbh, Bean Uí Dhochartaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 1029, Page 70
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- XML School: Behey
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- XML “Farm Animals”
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- The horse, cow donkey, sheep, pig goat, hens ducks geese turkeys the dog and the cat are the farm and domestic animals in this district. Only a few of the farmers in Behey keep a horse but all the small farmers keep a donkey. They have no names on the cows. They speak of them as the “red cow” or the blue cow or the “spotted cow”. “Chee” “Chee” is said to the cow “Suckey” “suckey” to the calf. The cow house is called the “byre” The cows have a “stauet” and are tied to the “stake” a thick stick, the bottom of which is sunk firmly in the floor and the top secured to a cross board that runs from wall to wall both ends fastened or driven into the wall. On the “stake” is a strong iron ring that runs up +down on the stake and to this ring the chain is fastened. This chain is put round the cow’s neck and linked neither too loose nor too tight. A piece of Blessed palm is often hung up in the cow house and in every byre in Behey there is a St. Brigid’s Cross. Whit Sunday holy water is also shakes [?] in the byre. These are all to bring a blessing on the cows. It is the custom I am told(continues on next page)
