Robard, I remember those coins well. We brought a set home from the visit we made when I was 3 years old and I often played with them. I probably still have them somewhere. If I remember correctly the fish was a salmon, ancient Irish symbol of wisdom. The new Euro money is certainly convenient when traveling from country to country within Europe, but by adopting it each country gave up something of their own past and Identity when they lost the distinctive symbols that once adorned their currencies in favor of pan-European ones. Maggie Duffy Sent from my iPad On Feb 18, 2013, at 10:51 AM, "Riobard O' Dwyer" <[email protected]> wrote: > One thing that the people who wrote this fascinating book: "Things I have > seen" missed was a character known as The strong man" who performed in > Ardgroom Village, Eyeries Village, and Fair Day in Castletownbere. As a > young lad, I remember him in Ardgroom Village. He had a square piece of > flat timber with spikes sticking up out of it for a "bed". He then used > strip off with a bare back and lie on the spikes, with a heavy block on top > of him. After that he used go on to Eyeries Village. There he used a whip, > and he had a special way of lashing the whip, so much so that with the > thundering sound of the "lash" he used frighten the daylights out of the > youngsters gathered around. On then to the Fair in Castletownbere in the > Square. There he used lift a full barrel of porter up on one shoulder and > parade around the Square with it. He had a bag for gathering money. As far > as I can remember, the ha'pennies had the character of a pig on them; a > penny the character of a hen; a 3 penny bit the character of a rabbit; a 6 > penny bit the character of a hound; a shilling the character of a bull; two > shillings the character of a fish; and a half-crown the character of a > horse. Very, very few half-crowns were thrown into his bag, because money > was scarce by the people. Another "name" for the Strong Man was "Skibb", > because he was a native of Skibbereen. > *Riobard*. > > > On 18 February 2013 01:41, Phil Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Well put, Riobard. >> >> >> Riobard O' Dwyer wrote: >> >>> People of Beara all over the world.The book "Things I have seen" is a >> must >>> for anyone connected with Beara, and people whose ancestors were >> originally >>> from Beara. It contains practically everything connected with the lives >> of >>> the people here in the days long past. The most of the people from whom >>> those stories of the past were collected for the Beara Millenium are now >>> dead. The book is not very big, but it is absolutely fascinating. It ends >>> with the famous poem "Beara my Home", which was submitted by Fr. Sean >>> O'Shea, now almost 90. In the words of Bernie O'Sullivan (ex- Principal >>> Teacher) of Cahermore: "The mystery of Life must go on". It was a life >> not >>> known by the youth of today ---- a crying shame if all about that life in >>> Beara in the olden days was lost forever. >>> *---- Riobard.* >>> >>> On 17 February 2013 15:55, Margaret O'Neill <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Bill and Teresa, many many thanks for posting the book. It is a joy to >>>> read. >>>> >>>> Margaret ONeill >>>> East Taunton, Mass. >>>> >>>> Sent from my iPhone >>>> >>>> On Feb 16, 2013, at 5:12 PM, Bill Gawne <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Dear friends of Beara, >>>>> >>>>> Teresa Sullivan has provided me with the text of the book she >>>>> generously offered to us all. To obtain a copy for yourself, follow >>>>> the directions below. >>>>> >>>>> You can obtain the book _Things I Have Seen_ at >> http://www.pha.jhu.edu/~gawne/stash/THINGS%20I%20HAVE%20SEEN%20StandardPDF.pdf >>>>> >>>>> Just click on that link and you'll get the book displayed in your web >>>>> browser. Then use the Adobe "save a copy" option to save yourself a >>>>> copy on your hard drive. >>>>> >>>>> -- Bill >>>>> >>>>> ------------------------------- >>>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes >>>> in the subject and the body of the message >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------------------- >>>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >>>> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the >> quotes >>>> in the subject and the body of the message >>> >>> -- >>> *Riobard (O'Dwyer)* >>> >>> ------------------------------- >>> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes >> in the subject and the body of the message > > > > -- > *Riobard (O'Dwyer)* > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message