School: Cnoc na Groighe (B.), Ráth Mhór

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1. Old Customs (continued)

   

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   it was easy enough to re-open it. Turf, potatoes, and milk were to be given to the old people and a certain sum of money was to be paid to them each year. The most of the men and women kept their old people with them and left them the ‘run of the house’ as they felt it would be cheaper for them. Only when the parties disagreed did it become necessary to carry out the full marriage agreement. Indeed very few men were anxious to put their mother or father in the room because it would be ‘thrown at them’ by the neighbours. It was often said of a man”that he could’t be lucky” because “ it was the bad treatment he gave his father or mother”. Many families felt disgraced if the father or mother were treated like that and many a family disagreement was cloaked rather than ‘break out the door’. Very often too (Mrs Sheehan remarked) the young man had brothers and sisters in America and they would be sending something for the Christmas to the old people. When the old people had the freedom of the house they would’nt forget the struggling son or son-in-law and the children. The American check was common property too.
   Having settled the details the people returned to their

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Languages

   Irish

   English

   Collector

   Díarmuid Ó Múimhneacháin

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Príomhoide