Skeealyn Vannin, Disk 3 Track 09: Conversation: John and Sage Kinvig, Ronague, Arbory; Tommy Leece, Kerrookeil, Malew; Ned Maddrell, Glen Chass, Rushen
https://www.youtube.com/embed/IDXOeJlsUZkDate(s): 1948
Creator(s): Irish Folklore Commission
Transcript: N.M Yes well what was the customs that you’ve seen as far as the Mheillea was concerned?
T.L Yes Oh there was a big feed was er one of the
S.K
J.K
N.M I’ve seen that and the barn loft would be, would be er cleared
T.L things was there Oh yes Yes and that’s a fine night out on the field
S.K
J.K
N.M Aye [laugh] well it’s in the barns I’ve seen the, the er, the sports
T.L playing kiss the ring
S.K
J.K Well outside I’ve seen it if there was a fine
N.M I see. I’ve not seen that But in the barns dancing there’d be one with a, with an accordion if, so they would be,
T.L Yes
S.K And sometimes Yes
J.K night
N.M they would be doing a bit of crude dancing too Yes it wasn’t very up-to-date No, no!
T.L Ooh aye! [laugh] Not like the dancing they do now
S.K
J.K
N.M No, no, no! There was no jazz in [laugh] there was no jazz in them days. Well then after that there, it came the Hollantide,
T.L [laugh] No Yes
S.K
J.K
N.M the eleventh of November. That’s the night they used to go round on the Hop tu Naa
T.L Yes, well I was round one time with
S.K
J.K
N.M I’ve been round a good many times too and gathering herring and if we, we thought we’d, we, two or three
T.L [?…, repeated]
S.K
J.K
N.M gathering together we thought we’d done well if we got a bucket of herring and sold it for sixpence [laugh] If we were
T.L [laugh] Yes, yes
S.K
J.K
N.M able to get, were able to buy a couple or three pound of sugar then to make toffee out of it, that paid for the,
T.L some sweets
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J.K
N.M for the night’s work [laugh] So I think, I think that that’s, that’s pretty well the routine for the whole year as far as the,
T.L Yes
S.K
J.K
N.M the festivals was concerned Oh yes yes, well that’s what I mean, you went round singing and
T.L We was out singing too, you see, Hop tu Naa
S.K
J.K
N.M then went to the door and, and er collected the different things Yes
T.L Yes and the cabbages hitting the door for, for them to open it yes
S.K
J.K
N.M That was for Christmas. Yes, but I think that
T.L Oh aye Yes
S.K And the White Boys,what about them? They used to go round, they used to
J.K Yes
N.M er there’s not many that can remember very much of what the White Boys did or at least of what they said of course I can
T.L
S.K
J.K
N.M remember when, what they were dressed er with fancy dresses done up with, with tissue paper and one thing and
T.L Yes
S.K Yes I can remember too
J.K
N.M another but as far as the rhymes of that are concerned I’ve forgotten them
T.L Yes […] Yes
S.K They, they carry it out again here in the
J.K
N.M Oh yes, but I think that, I think that it’s on a [stutter] fine scale though to what it used to be
T.L we
S.K Ballabeg at Co, Colum Killey
J.K Well, in them days, Tommy, there were no tractors
N.M
T.L No, oh no, tractors no, there was no tractors in the harvest time
S.K Hunt the
J.K going to cut corn nor nothing, you see Cutting with a scythe
N.M
T.L Cutting with a sickle yes Do tha’ remember corn up in Jeffcoate’s place and the women was er
S.K Wren
J.K yes, cutting with a scythe yes
N.M
T.L cutting it with sickles and it was so short. Yes, I remember my mother and I suppose she would be doing it, too well
S.K
J.K yes, yes Well say the foot was in it yet and they wouldn’t get any
N.M
T.L the best field would be the corn where’s I remember the corn grows more than one or not, but the best field outside of the
S.K
J.K more picked
N.M
T.L road was going up to the house, there was corn there, and there it was as short as the women going with their brood, was
S.K
J.K
N.M Well in that case I suppose I suppose they would have to,
T.L gathered and cutting it with sickles Well John Bell’s, John Bell’s mills was up thrashing it
S.K
J.K Yes
N.M to pull er stuff to make the bands in that case
T.L Oh yes I suppose they would, yes it was, it was very short
S.K Well the first mill that ever
J.K
N.M
T.L
S.K came about was John Bell’s, he came to Ballacannell [pron. cunnell], to John Bob with horses
J.K No, well before that in […] flails I’ve
N.M I’ve thrashed with flails, too yes oh yes
T.L
S.K
J.K thrashed many a day with flails I have too. Wherever there was a mill coming round […]
N.M oh I can remember the very first mill that came round, that came out to the Sound. Hough’s
T.L Yes, Bell’s it would be Oh Hough’s
S.K
J.K
N.M oh aye yes, the portable ones
T.L
S.K Bell’s was drew by horses
J.K Bell’s was, Bell’s was up before that, it was at Ballacannell drawn by horses Yes horses
N.M
T.L Aye, well Bell’s was over at Earystane the year that, the year that I was here, drove with horses
S.K
J.K they had drawing it Oh aye
N.M Aye, the first, the first mill that I can remember was drawn, that I, I can remember, it was drawn by a traction engine
T.L Well, yes
S.K
J.K
(Transcribed by Breesha Maddrell, Fistard, Rushen)
Language: English
Collection: Sound Archive
Level: WHOLE
ID number: SA 0579/3/9