 Cutting the Corn circa.1910 |
Hiring Fairs were common throughout Ulster in the 19th Century but this humiliating practise survived in Letterkenny, County Donegal and in Strabane, County Tyrone into the 1940's. Twice yearly the young people gathered in these towns hoping to be hired by wealthy farmers for durations of six months to a year. There are many stories in the Irish Folklore Commission relating how the young girls and boys would line the market squares to be inspected by potential employees who looked them over to determine their strength and checked their teeth before agreeing to hire them. While in the employ of the hiring farmer these young people were subject to physical abuse and had to endure long working hours for little payment. Donegal writers Patrick McGill and Patrick Gallagher relate their experiences of being hired out in their literary works. |
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Bhí na Margaidh Meallaithe coitianta i gCuige Uladh sa naoú haois déag ach chuaigh an nós amaideach seo ar aghaidh i Leitir Ceanainn i dTír Chonaill agus ar an tSráth Ban i gCo. Thír Eoghain go dtí 1940. Chruinnigh daoine óga ó achan pháirt do Dhún na nGall dhá uair sa bhliain ar shráideacha Leitir Ceanainn agus an Sráth Ban ag súil go dtabharfadh feirmeoir saibhre obair díofa ar feadh sé mhí nó níos mó. Tá go leor scéalta suimiúil i gCoimmisiún Béaloideas na hÉireann ar an doigh a sheasadh cailiní agus gasraí i gcearnóg an bhaile mhór agus feirmeoirí saibhre a gcuir fríd scrúdú le fáil amach an raibh siad foirstíneach agus laidir. Rinne siad fiú ámhain scrúdú ar a gcuid fiacla sula dtugadh siad obair díofa. I rith a dtearma leis an fheirmeoir b'eigin do na daoine óga seo cuir suas le drochíde fisiciúil chomh maith le uaireanta fada oibrigh agus bigean airgead ar a shon. Insíonn na scríobhnoirí Pádraig Mac a'Ghoill agus Pádraig Ó Gallachóir ar a gcuid taithí fhéin ag obair ar na Margaidh Meallaithe.© |