BRIDGET QUINN-McDONAGH, AGE 82, TULLAMORE
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BRIDGET QUINN-McDONAGH, AGE 82, TULLAMORE

10.0015.00

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Bridget Quinn-McDonagh grew up in Mullingar. Her mother was Nan Power, who came from a farming background. Her husband’s people were the Quinn-McDonaghs. She was born in Burgess Lane. Her father died young, her mother reared a large family with little money. During the Black and Tan campaign in Ireland, two of her mother’s brothers were arrested, and one was shot. Bridget spent some time in England with her husband before they came back to Ireland, travelling from county to county on the road. Her husband was a carpenter by trade, and built their wagon and he was also adept at repairing electrical machinery for the farmers. She spoke about how, after the death of a member of the family, all his or her possessions would be burnt. On the day I recorded Bridget, her grand-daughter got married, but Bridget did not attend the wedding, because a member of the family was not yet one year dead. In this interview she also spoke about the scarcity of money in earlier times and how she would pick spuds, pull beet and cut turf, and not one penny would go astray. I spoke also to her son and daughter, who described the class distinction among the travellers. This was an important account of a traveller’s life, recorded in the fine atmosphere of one of Tullamore’s oldest pubs.

Additional information

Type:

Disk, MP3

Audio series:

Offaly county, second series

Bitrate:

128 kbps

Download time limit:

48 hours

File size(s):

38.92 MB

Number of files:

1

Product ID:

CDOF02-26

Subject:

Traveller traditions

Recorded by:

Maurice O'Keeffe