School: Banahoe
- Location:
- Banagher, Co. Cavan
- Teacher: A. Mac an Bháird
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0978, Page 073
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- XML School: Banahoe
- XML Page 073
- XML “Bad Luck in Cattle”
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- For years Paddy Larry (Lynch) Kilnacor, Crosskeys, Co Cavan had bad luck in cattle. He could keep no beast for any length of time, as they died time after time of sickness or would have to be destroyed after breaking limbs. How he came to have the bad luck is explained thus.
Long ago it was the custom in the vacinity to tie milk cows in the byre every night even in summer time. This was a precaution to save the cows from being milked by the neighbours or by witches in the form of hares. At day-break, some member of the family would rise and lose out the cows on the grass where the would feed until milking time, about 8 o'clock a.m.
One morning the grandfather of the present Paddy Larry (lynch) arose at "day-clear" to lose the cattle. As he was walking across the yard he was surprised to see a man coming towards him from the fort which is only a hundred yards from the house. Says he to himself, I'll have time to have the cows out and be out of the byre again(continues on next page)
- Informant
- John Gaffney
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 40
- Address
- Cross Keys, Co. Cavan
