School: Tagoat (roll number 5990)
- Location:
- Tagoat, Co. Wexford
- Teacher: Pádraig Coilféir
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0879, Page 113
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- XML “May Day Customs”
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- Customs were observed on certain days during the year, one of which was May Day.On May Day a bush was lighted and left to burn, and when it was burned it was said that all evil was carried away from the lands.Old people believe that no thunder, or lightning or any evil would enter a house before which stood that bush. It is said that a lighted May bush was first set up in honour of the great Milsesians, who gave battle to the Tuatha de Danams sent out men to capture the Prince of the Milsesians and kill him, but in passing they were all stopped by a bush, which stood between the chief and the magician so that a flame arose and the bush withered and burned away.On May Day a May pole was erected in every village. This was decorated with coloured papers, and ribbons hung from the top of it to the ground. Children gathered together and danced around it. Each caught a ribbon as they danced the ribbons twisted around the pole until they could twist no further. They danced in the opposite direction then and as they die so the ribbons(continues on next page)
- Collector
- Peggy Doyle
- Gender
- Female
- Address
- Drimagh, Co. Wexford
- Informant
- James Lawlor
- Gender
- Male
- Address
- Hilltown, Co. Wexford
