School: Cor na Gaoithe (roll number 7495)
- Location:
- Cornageeha, Co. Leitrim
- Teacher: Bean Uí Fhloinn
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0206, Page 061
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- In olden times butter charming was very common. Every May-Eve, many farmers when they had butter made took some of it fresh, and smeared the piers of their gates with it. This was done as a protection against butter charmers.
This is the old method of charming Butter. The Spring-well must be skimmed for seven mornings at the at the break of day. Then going to the field of the people whose butter is to be charmed, throw an old spancel across the gap.
When the Butter has been charmed, the following is the method of getting it back. The person from whom it has been stolen, must get something belonging to a plough, then he must redden it, and bring it out and leave it in the churn in the dairy. This has the power to bring in the person who is charming away the Butter. When he or she comes in and asks for something, on no account must it be given, for if it is given the charm will not work, and is said to be broken for that time.
- Collector
- Rose Creamer
- Gender
- Female
- Informant
- Michael Dolan
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 80
