School: Carrigans (C.)

On this page

1. Bird-Lore

   

   Share Share Post

   Bird Lore.
   The birds seen most often in this district are, the swallow, the cuckoo, the corncrake, the robin, the wren, the magpie and the crow. Th swallow, the cuckoo and the corncrake migrate to a warmer climate than our own. The cuckoo builds no nest at all but lays her eggs in another birds nest. The swallow builds her nest in the roof of an out-house. The corncrake lays her eggs in the grass and lays five or six eggs. The robin builds her in the ditch and lays seven or eight eggs. The wren builds in a bush and lays about thirteen eggs. She makes her nest of moss. The magpie builds her nest in ivy bushes. She builds it from stones and clay and for that reason is called a mason. The crow builds her nest in a tall tree and the bottom is made from stones and clay. The top is made from sticks. There is a traditional story told about the magpie when she was showing the crow how to build her nest. She was telling her to curve the nest at the bottom and the crow said "I know." She continued explaining how to construct the bottom and the crow said the same as before Then the magpie said "When you know so much you can do the rest of it." The crows nest is finished at the top with sticks and that is the reason because she could not finish it with stones and clay without the magpies help and that was deprived of her by her talk.
   When swallows fly low it is the sign of bad

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. agents (~1)
      1. animal-lore (~1,185)
         1. bird-lore (~2,478)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Rose Reilly

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Urbal, Co. Cavan

   Informant

   Mr Matthew Galligan

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Corr, Co. Cavan