School: Clochar na Toirbhirte, Cill Áirne
- Location:
- Killarney, Co. Kerry
- Teachers: An tSr. M. Déaglán An tSr. Marie Thérèse
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0456, Page 240
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- XML “Sheep”
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- SheepIn the olden times Ireland made great use of sheep, and especially those living in mountainy districts, because sheep were nearly their chief industry instead of cultivation, because most of the land was not fit for cultivation.
The people put the sheep out on the mountain grazing in the summer, but in winter they brought them down in the lowlands near their houses, and the children of the farmers always took care of their own flocks. They used to love taking care of them for sheep are very quiet little animals. The fathers of the little children were always able to keep an account of their sheep, and to know them when they mixed with those of their neighbours for miles around. The way of doing this was simple and easily managed. Every man had a mark of his own:- a horn mask, an ear mark and a shoulder mark. Different letters were burned into the horns with reddened brands. Some were burned on the right and others on the left horn. Some people cut a notch out of the ears and others a split.
The shoulder mark was put on by(continues on next page)
- Informant
- Máire Ní Lineacháin
- Gender
- Female
