School: Coiscéim (C.), Átha Treasna (roll number 10079)
- Location:
- Newmarket, Co. Cork
- Teacher: Máire Bean Uí Nialláin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0356, Page 259
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- When night falls on Christmas night the bean-a-tí in each house in the country prepares the Christmas candle - usually a pound Candle.
If she has not a candlestick sufficiently large enough to hold the candle, she gets a jam crock and fills it with meal, makes a hole in the centre and puts the candle into it. She makes it firm by pressing the meal around it. Then she covers the crock with coloured papers and decorates it with holly in which are red berries.
If she has not a suitable jam crock she gets a turnip and scoops out the centre of it just sufficiently large enough to hold the candle. She then fits in the candle and decorates the turnip as she would have decorated the crock.
This candle is let lighting on the window during the while night to show the Holy Family the way should they happen to be passing by. In the country the doors are left on the latch - not locked - lest the Holy Family may need shelter during the night and many housewifes let the table in readiness - vessels, bread, butter, sweet cake etc - lest the Holy Family may need something to eat.
