School: An Bóthar Buí (B.), Áth Treasna (roll number 16396)
- Location:
- Boherboy, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Seán Ó Gealbháin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0355, Page 058
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- Bill's real name was Bill Riordan. He lived in the townland of Islandbrack about 40 years ago. For many years before his death Bill was semi-insane. He had two pet sheep and a pet ram. He spent his time travelling from house to house accompanied by his strange pets. They followed him from place to place and when he came to a house the pets followed him into it. Bill had always a huge ash-plant in his hand and his appearance was most terrifying; so you may depend upon it nobody tried to evict either himself or his sheep till he took it into his head to leave of his own accord. The people were only too glad to humour him and to provide food for himself and his animals, so as to get rid of him as quietly as possible. He was often out by night as well as by day and slept in out-houses, or by fences, beside his pets, and warmed by the heat of their bodies.
It is said that he first trained the pets to follow them by the entrancing tunes he played for them on the pipes.
- Collector
- John Galvin
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Teacher
- Address
- Islandbrack, Co. Cork
