School: Wilkinstown (roll number 1917)
- Location:
- Wilkinstown, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Máire Ní Failcheallaigh
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0711, Page 049
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- Hallow Eve is the last day of October. It is a custom to eat apples on this day. It is a custom also to have a brack with a ring in it and whoever gets the ring will be married before a year. Long ago the people made "colcannon" and the ring was put in it as bracks were then unknown.
It is said that ghosts and fairies are to be seen on Hallow Eve and people are afraid to go out after dark on this night.
Sometimes the brave young boys go out on Hallow Eve and take people's cartwheels or gates and they hide them and the people have to look for them the next day.
One time there was a man and his cart used to be taken every year and he used to be very vexed. This year he made up his mind that it would not be taken so he sat in the cart all night. The boys did not come to take it till it was fairly late and the man fell asleep and was asleep when they came. So they took the cart and the man also. When the poor fellow awoke the next morning he was lying at the back of a ditch. He did not stay all night in the cart any more.
- Collector
- Patricia Reilly
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Demailestown, Co. Meath
- Informant
- Thomas Reilly
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Demailestown, Co. Meath
