School: Mell, Mell N. School, Drogheda (roll number 855)
- Location:
- Mell, Co. Louth
- Teacher: E. Ní Cholmáin
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0678, Page 083
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“There are many curious customs still observed in the country districts...”
There are many curious customs still observed in thie country districts in regard to cattle and the sowing of corn.
When a farmer is sowing his corn with a sheet the way he does it is:- he ties two corners together in a knot forming a loop and passes the loop over his head making an apron of the sheet which he fills with corn and sows away having previously sprinkled the sheet with holy water. That knot must not dare be loosed until all the corn is sown and if he is sowing hay seed later on the sheet will be preserved with the knot intact until then. If by any mischance the knot became unloosed in the meantime he would sow no hayseed that year. When a cow was about to calve a sprig of palm would be tied to her horns and a blessed candle lighted in the shed. When young calves would be driven out to grass for the first time pieces of ribbon would be tied on their tails. I know a girl in Monasterboice who was driving out two calves last April with their tails gaily decorated by her father's orders when she saw someone coming she swapped off the ribbons and stuffed them in her pocket.
- Collector
- E. Ní Cholmáin
- Gender
- Female
- Occupation
- Teacher
- Address
- Mell, Co. Louth
- Informant
- John Kelly
- Gender
- Male
- Age
- 50
- Address
- Mell, Co. Louth