School: Mullagh (B)

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1. Quilca and Dean Swift (continued)

   

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   height they throw out a number of branches which when in leaf makes a delightful shady roof for this beautiful arbour.

   This was the open air theatre of Quilca in the days of Swift.

   The Brookes of Rantavan, near Mullagh, were another literary family whose members visited Quilca at this period.

   In making enquiries among the locals about Carrick-a-Craw, I found that amongst them the terms "Actor" and "Acrobat or Tumbler" seemed synonomous. For instance, one old gentleman vouchsafed the following information.

   "You see, Old Sheridan was an actor. On the top of these trees at Carrick-a-Craw he had a spring board, and when he took a trot and jumped, he "turned the Wild Cat"* three times before he landed just over there, across the Mill Race." - which by the way would be a distance of about 40 yards.
   * Did a somersault

   
   Stella's Bower is about 80 yards to the N.W. of Carrick-a-Craw - it is nearly obliterated.

   In the lawn, shading a cool spring well, stands the tree under which in a thunderstorm Dean Swift performed the famous marriage services which he celebrated in the following lines:-

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Language

   English

   Collector

   J. Drury

   Gender

   Male

   Age

   62

   Occupation

   Múinteoir

   Informant

   Charles Farrelly

   Gender

   Male

   Occupation

   Farmer

   Address

   Crossbane, Co. Cavan