School: Glenahulla, Mitchelstown (roll number 12446)

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1. A Local Incident - An Old Hedge-Schoolmaster (continued)

   

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   the gates of knowledge and learning to our forefathers one hundred years ago. They were it seems a pretty numerous class at first but they rapidly decreased in number when the National Schools were established in the country parishes. One of the last survivors of this almost forgotten Era in our history lived in the village of Glanworth. He was what may be called a specialist in the solution of obtruse mathametical problems and he had few equals and no superiors in his day or generation. He travelled long distances in search of knowledge, and I have heard on reliable authority that he spent some time in Athlone under the tutorship of some genius to whom he owed much of his instruction as a teacher. The name of this Glanworth teacher was John Courtney. He suffered from paralysis on the left side. He lost the sight of his left eye, the use of his left limb, and the use of his left hand. There by hangs a tale about which I cannot furnish the correct particulars. But the story is that he willingly made this sacrifice to save a friend or neighbour from trouble over the non-fulfilment of a promise made by a debtor to pay some small debts due by a dying brother. A promise which was not fulfilled. This master had to travel down to Co. Clare to consult a wise woman Biddy Early

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Máiréad Bean Uí Réagáin

   Gender

   Female

   Occupation

   Múinteoir