School: Gortloney (roll number 11978)
- Location:
- Gortloney, Co. Meath
- Teacher: Eoghan de Buitléir
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0716, Page 235
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- XML “Festival Customs”
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- Festival CustomsWritten by: Kathleen Hill, Milltown. 30th November, 1938.The chief festive customs that are still carried on in this district are those connected with Hallowwe'en, St. Stephen's Day, St. John's Eve, Easter Saturday, and Shrove Tuesday.
For Hallow Eve bracks which contain rings are bought in the shops or made at home. Every member of the family is anxious to see who will get the ring, because this will surely be the first to marry. Again three saucers are placed on the table one containing water, another clay, and on the third is placed a ring. Each person in turn is blindfolded at some distance from the table. He is then requested to walk forward and place his forefinger on one of the saucers. If he points out the saucer containing the water it indicates that he will soon cross the ocean; if he touches the one which contains the clay it means an early death, while the saucer which holds the ring stands for marriage.
On St. Stephen's Day the boys dress up in old clothes and put on false faces and go from house to house collecting money, and when they come to the doors of the houses they say:
"The wren the wren the king of all birds,
St. Stephen's Day she was caugh in the furzes,
St(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Kathleen Hill
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Milltown, Co. Meath
