Shamrock Diaries

[barryd]

Ok I am going to take a wild guess that this woman is a carpenter on her "Walz" which is a three year and one day journey as part of a centuries old tradition for carpenters to undertake after finishing their apprenticeship. The outfit is called The Kluft.

This is just a wild guess though.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Beat ya.

 

[barryd]

Beat ya.

Your google AI was a bit faster than mine then.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

I think it maybe a German outfit, normally worn by a journeyman, possibly a woodworker.

Spot on, Kev. She’s a Travelling Journeyman (carpenter). Finished her 3 years apprenticeship then she’s been travelling for the last 2 years and arrived in Ireland 3 days ago.

The tradition dates back to medieval times, but not many countries where it still continues. Very interesting stuff.

She does not have a mobile phone (not allowed to travel with technology?) but she uses email when she can find a library or community access point with computers.

 

[Tim120]

Spot on, Kev. She’s a Travelling Journeyman (carpenter). Finished her 3 years apprenticeship then she’s been travelling for the last 2 years and arrived in Ireland 3 days ago.

The tradition dates back to medieval times, but not many countries where it still continues. Very interesting stuff.

She does not have a mobile phone (not allowed to travel with technology?) but she uses email when she can find a library or community access point with computers.

Must have been some interesting conversations between you, Neil and that young lady.
Fair play to her for taking on that task, presumably not required to wear that outfit all the time.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Must have been some interesting conversations between you, Neil and that young lady.
Fair play to her for taking on that task, presumably not required to wear that outfit all the time.

Yes, Tim, she is actually required to wear that outfit all the time!

Her jacket weighed a ton, as did her rucksack

 

[Tim120]

Yes, Tim, she is actually required to wear that outfit all the time!

Her jacket weighed a ton, as did her rucksack

Good grief, Is this the German equivalent of a Duke Of Edinburgh award?
Frivolity aside, is it a personal challenge or a further qualification?

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Good grief, Is this the German equivalent of a Duke Of Edinburgh award?
Frivolity aside, is it a personal challenge or a further qualification?

It’s what you sign up for when you do the apprenticeship. I guess it is a personal challenge also, but it is very much part of the tradition and is taken very seriously.

She works in exchange for food and sometimes lodging when travelling and she prefers to work for community projects. Sometimes it may be paid work, but mostly not.

 

[Tim120]

It’s what you sign up for when you do the apprenticeship. I guess it is a personal challenge also, but it is very much part of the tradition and is taken very seriously.

Sorry if I've missed it earlier, does she seek work to fund her travels?

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Sorry if I've missed it earlier, does she seek work to fund her travels?

Yes. When she has enough money she travels and looks for work opportunities on the way. In this instance, in Ireland she is kind of on holiday with money she has earned on her previous travels.

She is due in Denmark in 2 weeks, I think for a work project out there? Then she is being joined in Denmark by a friend and they are hoping to “journeyman” hitchhike as far north as they can. She has no idea if hitchhiking in Denmark will work or not, but going for it anyway. One tough lass, ey?! Specially in this day and age - travelling solo without a mobile phone to boot!!

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Duplicate post…

 

[Tim120]

Apologies Marie, just read your post #248.
And indeed one tough lass, good luck to her.

 

[Debroos]

Guess the profession …

Beara peninsula.



View attachment 151822

We gave a lift to a male version of that in Cornwall. Also German in Victorian type clothes with his few possessions wrapped in a cloth on the end of a stick over his shoulder.
He was a newly or almost newly qualified organ tuner and part of their apprenticeship was to travel around looking for jobs in their profession. We saw one in Dingle once as well. Interesting.

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Friend just emailed me this newspaper article from 2006 about journeymen/women. Hope the link works …

The wanderers

 

[Debroos]

Friend just emailed me this newspaper article from 2006 about journeymen/women. Hope the link works …

The wanderers

How interesting. Especially the bit on how our apprenticeships are a much lower standard...

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Lovely and sunny and warm this morning. Cobh, Cork.

Statue called The Shantyman (2024), Five Foot Way, Whitepoint, Cobh.

So I had to, obvs…!

 

[Tim120]

Absolutely loving this Marie, my mother's family were from Co. Cork. Middleton. We're probably cousins

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Absolutely loving this Marie, my mother's family were from Co. Cork. Middleton. We're probably cousins

Nah!!, you'd be married.

 

[Debroos]

Lovely and sunny and warm this morning. Cobh, Cork.

Statue called The Shantyman (2024), Five Foot Way, Whitepoint, Cobh.

So I had to, obvs…!

View attachment 151880

View attachment 151881

Of course you had to! What a fantastic statue. Whereabouts is it? We've stayed at Cobh a few times but not seen it. Must see it next time!

 

[mariesnowgoose]

Of course you had to! What a fantastic statue. Whereabouts is it? We've stayed at Cobh a few times but not seen it. Must see it next time!

There is a motorhome aire right on the waterfront at Whitepoint, Cobh. The promenade in front of it - leading back along and towards the railway station and the heritage centre - is called the Five Foot Way. This statue is on this promenade, it was only recently erected in 2024.