Volume: CBÉ 0407 (Part 1)

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1. The Mummers' Band (continued)

   

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   was the fool. He carried an inflated bladder on the end of a stick & was constantly hitting people with it. It used to make a awful noise. Another of the band was Sir John, who represented the "state", while I represented the "church". Other menbers of our body carried chains, fuse-cord flint & steel, a tared rope, etc, not forgetting the man with the syringe for squishing dirty water into people's faces.
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   We used to on Saturdays' night to any place that had a bad name especially round the walls & gates of the big houses. People coming home from Corlon became terrified when they heard chains rattling and fuse-cord spitting & a strong smell of sulphur in the air. They'd turn back & put any round on themselves sooner than face us.
   I remember one night we went into the Roc's house at the Slippery Stone. The daughter was ironing a white linen shirt on the kitchen's table. One of the band went up to shake hands with her. He pulled a tared rope from behind his back & destroyed the shirt. The Roc jumped up out of the corner & seized the shirt. The man with the syringe blinded him for the time being & we all made for the door, but poor Bill Porsicle nearly paid for it. The poor fellow had bad sight & he went

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   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Date

   11 Lúnasa 1908

   Item type

   Lore

   Language

   Béarla

   Writing mode

   Handwritten

   Writing script

   Roman script

   Informant

   • Pádruig Mac Domhnaill