School: Gurrane (B.) (roll number 14839)

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1. Cattle

   

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   Many of the people of the last century an earlier were given to a certain extent to superstition. It was usual with them to build the stall as near as possible to the dwelling house and by no means to build it on a path or passage underground. They considered the black cows the luckiest of all and if a cow happened to die at intervals which is natural in all cases they would put the blame on the position of the stall or on some door or window.

   In those days it was the custom to allow a kid or a donkey with the cattle whilst grazing in the fields. This was also done for luck with the cows in milking and calving. Then on the night before May Day all doors are locked and barred and holy water is sprinkled on the cows for fear of any evil person coming and milking the cows unknown to the owner. It was also believed that hares and other wild animals could also milk the cows.

   If a calf died belonging to any person he would feel very worried about the burying of the calf. If at all possible it would not be buried in his own land as it was believed that would bring more sickness on his cattle. The calf was usually shifted away to some other man's land and buried there in some bog to soft place as quickly as possible. If that man dug up the body of the dead calf a curse would fall on some section of his farm animals, such as the cows, horses or pigs.

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. activities
      1. economic activities
         1. agriculture (~2,659)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Denis Callaghan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Mullenroe, Co. Cork